The Indian Express   11.08.2012

On PMC terrain, ownership of huts can change by paying transfer fees

Facing numerous problems in deciding the beneficiaries of slum rehabilitation schemes, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) administration has given its consent to allow change in ownership of huts in slums by paying transfer fees to the civic body.

In a proposal tabled in the women and child welfare committee, Shiv Sena corporator Prithviraj Sutar had suggested that PMC allow transfer of ownership of slum property by charging fees.

“The civic administration responded and said that this would help in generating revenue along with putting restrictions on growth of slums in the city. This will also help speed up the implementation of slum rehabilitation scheme,” said Sutar.

The city has over 500 legal and illegal slums with around 50 per cent population living here. “The transfer of slum property takes place after the first owner is able to buy a legal property in an apartment but the PMC records continue to carry ownership of the apartment. This leads to dispute over deciding beneficiaries during the implementation of slum rehabilitation scheme,” said civic officials.

The occupier of the slum property is unable to get the benefit as the first owner takes advantage of the scheme, leaving the occupier to errect one more illegal slum, said civic officials, adding the number of slums remain the same despite rehabilitation initiative.

The transfer fee will also help the civic body to raise money and take up development work in slums that have been declared legal, said Sutar, adding that the civic body can charge transfer fee of Rs 40,000 for residential properties and Rs 60,000 for non-residential properties.