Hakim launches info booklet for New Town plots

The Mamata Banerjee government is ready to distribute residential plots in New Town for the first time since 2011. With that in mind, state Urban Development Minister Firhad Hakim released the information booklet for the new initiative taken by his department, at the Kolkata Book Fair on Monday.

"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee instructed us to distribute plots so that common people in our state would get an opportunity to set up their own house at New Town," Hakim said.

The state government will distribute 75 plots by means of lottery. This is the first time that an initiative has been taken by the state government wherein application process can be undertaken only by filling online forms. The online forms will be available on the website of West Bengal Housing Infrastructure Development Corporation (WBHIDCO).

WBHIDCO chairman Debashis Sen said that interested persons can apply for the plot through online forms, starting from January 31. It will continue till the end of April, after which a lottery will be held. The size of the plot wills vary between 2.24 cottah to 5.98 cottah.

Talking about the distribution of process, Hakim said that any individual or cooperative society can apply for the plots in New Town.

Hakim, meanwhile, said that a private bank will assist with the online application system. The bank will promptly return the money in case an applicant misses his or her chance in lottery. Thus, it wil be a completely safe process, he said.

The Minister also urged plot holders in New Town to initiate construction work as quick as possible. "The Chief Minister wants homes for all. We do not want to take the land from any person who has already acquired it in New Town. But they should start the construction now, only because vacant lands create a lot of social problems," Hakim said.

The Urban Development minister further said that the Convention Centre in New Town is almost ready and set to be inaugurated in June or July this year. " Mamata Banerjee will inaugurate the Convention Centre," Hakim added.

The Minister also talked about the Bengal government's Gitabitan Township Project in Bolpur. The government will provide land with sanctioned plan to set up houses, which is probably the first such initiative in India, Hakim added.

He also said that the state government will start work to set up a digital archive on rebel poet Kaji Nazrul Islam at New Town's Nazrul Tirtha soon.

Moreover, WBHIDCO released nine information booklets at the Book Fair on Monday, regarding various projects in New Town.