The State Government on Tuesday decided to abolish preferences in allotting apartments to be developed by the State-controlled Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA). The quota system was earlier blamed for inviting political interventions.

KMDA - a development agency looking after urban development – will now have a lottery system only for allotment of lower income group (LIG) and middle income group (MIG) apartments to its beneficiaries.

The decision comes days after the chairman's power for preferential allotment of apartments in another State Government housing agency – Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (HIDCO) – was abolished by the chief minister.

Earlier, a dual system - of lottery and preferential allotment existed - allowed the chairman of the organisation to exercise preference in allotment of some LIG and MIG apartments. The chairman was a political functionary and this often led to politically motivated allotments in State Government controlled projects.

A decision was taken following an executive committee meeting of the KMDA held at Writers' Building and chaired by Ms Mamata Banerjee.

Tender Committee

A decision to reconstitute the tendering committee of the KMDA by withdrawing political functionaries from the tendering committee of the organisation was also taken at the meeting.

Mr Sovan Chatterjee, Vice-Chairman of KMDA, said: “No political functionary will occupy a post in the tendering committee and all proposals, however, small will be passed through the tender committee before a final decision is taken.”

The new tender committee is likely to be headed by the secretary of the Urban Development department, with the chief executive officer of the KMDA being a member.

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