Concessional allotment of land to educational institutes in Pune
22 May, 2012Reply to an application filed under the RTI Act by the Revenue Department has revealed that out of 63 educational institutions that were given government land for educational purpose in Pune, only 31 institutions have fulfilled the conditions for which they were granted the land. It has come to light that five institutions from Pune city and Haveli taluk have violated the Maharashtra Land Revenue (disposal of government lands) Rules 1971, while the process of verification is under way for 27 others.
The violators include Bharati Vidyapeeth (Lohegaon), Kannada Sangh, Maharashtra State Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology, Progressive Education Society Modern High School, Mauje Aundh and Dnyaneshwari Shikshan Trust, Yerawada.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report has raised this issue and had criticized the educational institutions for misusing plots acquired from the government by changing the land reservation, renting out the premises for other purposes and by getting the land at unjustified concessional rates.
Land is given free of occupancy price and free of revenue by the government for public works like construction of schools, colleges, hospitals, dispensaries and other which are not for profit. Land is also given for use as playground in schools / colleges for a period of 15 years on payment of nominal lease rent equal to just Re 1 per annum.
The land is granted by the government for a purpose after assessment of the merits of the case with the cooperation of all departments but there seems to be no monitoring of the process. The entire revenue system needs to be revamped to avoid the misuse of the process.