Facing heat over allotment of a prime piece of land to actress-turned-politician Hema Malini for a token rate here, BJP-led Maharashtra government has decided to tighten the land lease rules to ensure higher rates on allotment of state-owned plots.
While a senior bureaucrat on Friday confirmed that the new policy will ensure ‘ready reckoner rates’ from the beneficiaries, it is not clear whether Malini will have to pay a higher price to take possession of the land allotted to her dance academy at Oshiwara in the city since that decision was taken by the state cabinet.
“Yes, we have been asked to relook into the old GR (Government Resolution) issued in 1983 that allows land meant for cultural or educational purposes to be given on lease at 25 per cent of 1976’s ready reckoner rates and come out with a fresh policy," said the senior officer.
The land allotment to Malini has run into controversy after RTI activist Anil Galgali brought the issue to the fore and demanded that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis either cancel the allotment or charge the price of the land at market rate from the BJP MP.