Rent Control Bill to be passed in winter session

Rent Control Bill to be passed in winter session
EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE

MUMBAI, DECEMBER 8: The Maharashtra Rent Control Act Bill will be passed in the winter session of the State Legislature begining at Nagpur next week.

After meeting all heads of various apex bodies of tenants associations, Housing Minister Rohidas Patil informed the reporters that a joint selection committee will study the memorandum of the association and discuss the same with the association's members and after making certain ammendments if required, the Bill will be passed in this session as per directions of the Supreme Court.

Fromer MP and MRCC chief Murli Deora who led the delegation said that rent paid by tenants should be bifurcated locality wise - tenants in middle-class localities should pay lesser rent than tenants of posh localities.

According to the memorandum submitted by the tenants associations, the Bill should apply to the entire State and not only Mumbai. The memorandum also stated that for repairs and reconstruction of old buildings, in new development plans, lucrative FSIs has beengiven to landlords along with benefits as defined in Section 16 to 19 of the Bill.

It also stated that after getting a property vacated, if the landlord fails to reconstruct the new building or after reconstruction does not allow the original tenant to take possession, the landlord is subjected to only one month of imprisonment or Rs 5,000 as fine which is a very mild punishment.

Meanwhile, a five-member high power committee has been constituted to help resolve the ongoing border dispute between Maharashtra and Karnataka.

Deshmukh told the delegation of Maharashtra Ekikiran Samiti that the government and its people are one in mind and heart on this issue and even the political parties would work across party lines seeking an amicable solution to the issue.

He said that the committee would work on issues like whether the Chief Minister should call on the Prime Minister, whether the CM should discuss the issue with the CM of Karnataka, whether the CM should lead a delegation to meet the Prime Ministeron the border dispute.