Government will continue to allot plots for art’s sake: Eknath Khadse

Despite the row over allotment of prime land to actor and MP Hema Malini for a dance academy at an extremely nominal rate, the state government has said it would continue to allot plots to such institutes to promote art and culture in the state.

Revenue minister Eknath Khadse told the state Legislative Council on Thursday that the state government has a definite policy to allot plots to institutes working in fields like art, music, education, charity etc. Until the policy is changed, it would continue to allot plots for such causes.

“Art will not prosper in the state unless it is given patronage from the government,” said the minister while replying to the issue raised by NCP legislator Kiran Pawaskar about the plot given to Ms Malini.

Mr Pawaskar said that the BJP MP was earlier given a plot at Versova. But despite not fulfilling the terms and conditions, she was later given a plot at Oshiwara at a nominal rate.

In his reply, Mr Khadse claimed that the decision to allot plot to Ms Malini was taken by the erstwhile Congress-NCP government in 2002. “But since the Versova plot was included in the costal regulation zone (CRZ), the actor demanded an alternate plot. Accordingly, she was given Oshiwara plot, which was reserved for a garden. However, the Congress-NCP government even changed the reservation and gave the plot for the establishment of a dance academy in 2010 at a very nominal rate.”

Hundreds of acres of land in the state had been given away earlier under the same policy. The beneficiaries include politicians like Sharad Pawar, Pratibha Patil, Madhukar Chaudhari, DY Patil, Shivajirrao Nilangekar, Vilasrao Deshmukh, Narayan Rane; artists such as Naushad Ali, Hari Prasad Chaurasia; hospitals like Bombay, Lilawati, Breach Candy, Kokilaben Ambani Hospital and institutes like racecourse, Cricket Club of India and several gymkhanas, he added.

“However, if it is found that these plots are being misused, then the government is ready to take back all the plots and allot them at the prevailing market rate if the House decides so,” said Mr Khadse.

The allotment of 2,000 square metre Oshiwara plot to Ms Malini was mired in controversy after it was revealed that it was given at rate of only Rs 35 per square metre (total Rs 70,000) by the Mumbai suburban district collectorate.