Daijiworld Media Network - Nagpur

Nagpur, Dec 13: Maharashtra deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday announced a 10 per cent reduction in the prices of houses built by the state-run City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) in Navi Mumbai, a move aimed at making home ownership more affordable for common citizens.

Addressing the Legislative Council, Shinde said CIDCO has constructed nearly 17,000 houses across multiple nodes of Navi Mumbai, including Kharghar, Vashi, Kharkopar, Taloja, Ulve, Kalamboli, Kamothe and Panvel. He informed members that the lottery process for allotting these houses is expected to be completed within the next two months.

The deputy chief minister said the price cut was introduced to ease the financial burden on buyers and improve access to affordable housing. He clarified that the 10 per cent reduction will apply specifically to homes under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) and Low Income Group (LIG) categories, in line with the Centre’s “Housing for All” initiative.

Shinde also outlined broader housing plans of the state government, announcing measures to provide immediate housing for senior citizens and to create sufficient housing stock for this purpose. He said the government has adopted a policy to address the housing needs of economically weaker and vulnerable groups such as mill workers, dabbawalas and Mathadis.

To ensure timely allocation, Shinde said the state plans to pool housing stock available under various government schemes and distribute homes in a structured, priority-based manner. This pooled stock will include provisions under Development Control Regulations (DCR) 33(7), 33(9) and 33(12B) in Mumbai, as well as state-level initiatives like Inclusive Housing and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).

Touching upon environmental concerns, the deputy chief minister also flagged the issue of encroachments on mangrove land. He stressed the importance of conserving mangrove forests and said the government is considering the use of green Transferable Development Rights (TDR) as part of its strategy to protect these sensitive ecosystems.