The Hindu Business Line : Maharashtra Govt seeks time to repeal land ceiling Act

The Centre's Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission has earmarked Rs 5,548 crore for Mumbai, but with strings attached. The Maharashtra Government will have to repeal the Urban Land Ceiling Act (ULCA), reform the Rent Control Act and rationalise Stamp Duty before it can fully avail itself of the funds.

The money would be given to the Maharashtra Government for providing better roads, additional water supply and sewerage disposal for the city.

An agreement on this was formalised, on Saturday, between the Union Government, the State Government and the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai.

The Chief Minister, Mr Vilasrao Deshmukh, reiterated that his Government was committed to repealing the Land Ceiling Act. The State Government has sought six to eight months to decide, he said, and added that Left parties have raised questions on the issue.

The ULCA was introduced during the Emergency in 1976 to prevent hoarding of land in private hands, and to help the Government execute social and common welfare schemes.

The law was scrapped at the Centre in 1999. However, land being a State subject, Maharashtra has still held on to the law. With the scrapping of ULCA, land in urban centres of Maharashtra gets freed for development.

More Stories on : Urban Development | Infrastructure | Maharashtra

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