The Indian Express 24.08.2012
‘Scrap Rampur Development Authority’
Urban Development Minister Azam Khan wants the Rampur Development
Authority (RDA) in his home district to be abolished for
non-performance. However, instead of making a request to the Chief
Minister, who is also the Housing Minister, he has written to Principal
Secretary of Housing Shambhu Nath Shukla.
Earlier, he had once ignored Medical and Health Minister Ahmed
Hasan, and written to Principal Secretary of Medical and Health for
locking up the hospitals in Rampur or deputing sufficient doctors.
The RDA was formed on Azam’s recommendation during the previous
Samajwadi Party government, which was headed by Mulayam Singh. The
Minister also inaugurated the RDA’s office in a rented building at Awas
Vikas Colony.
Now, Azam believes that the RDA has failed in its objective and
has launched no housing scheme. In fact, the RDA could not get any land
and did not even prepare a master plan of the city. The minister said
that in the last six years, the RDA did not clear even a single map of a
building.
It also failed to utilise the grant meant for development works.
Rather, it had become a centre of corruption and the officials were
engaged in extorting money from people.