THANE: The ambitious proposal of the Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) seeking to award 12 plots of land in the city and suburbs to educational
institutions on long lease basis has been dropped by the General Body House. The civic administration has been directed to issue fresh offers with relaxed conditions for the benefit of local educational societies and trusts.
The issue got the centre stage in the meeting after Jitendra Avhad, the local MLC, went on an indefinite hunger agitation outside the office of Civic Commissioner Nandkumar Jantre on the day of the meet. The MLC reflected the allegations of the opposition members that the conditions of the offer were tailored in such a way so as to suit the interests of national and international-level institutions and were against the interest of the local educational bodies.
The civic administration also came in for sharp criticism on the floor of the House on the D-day as well. Members from the opposition benches stressed that they had demanded a freeze on the proposal in the previous meeting of June for the reasons that the conditions of the offer prevented local schools and colleges from getting into the bid.
There were allegations that the beneficiary institutions would charge hefty fees and donations from the students in schools on the allotted plots which the poor students of the city will not be able to meet. Despite the objections, the TMC went ahead with the proposal and issued offers in the media inviting bids for the contract. The offensive of from the opposition in the present House forced the civic bureaucracy to cancel the offer. The House was informed of the issue of a fresh offer in the coming days with relaxed conditions so that local educational bodies can also bid for the long lease offer for the award of the twelve plots of land belonging to the corporation.
Notably, the corporation decided to give away the plots on lease for periods ranging from 25 to 30 years. The plots were acquired by the TMC from private builders and developers as well as reservations in the past. Two of these are prime plots situated at Dhokali on Ghodbunder Road, while a third one is at Kausa near the upcoming stadium project.
The authorities invited offers from renowned educational bodies running schools and colleges for the last 10 years in a row. There were also other stringent conditions attached to the lucrative offer. The interested parties were to get the plots and contract their school buildings on it. The parties were supposed to pay annual rents to the corporation during the period of lease and hand over the plot along with the structure to the TMC at the end of the lease period.
courtesy:www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
