Daijiworld Media Network – Nagpur
Nagpur, Jul 27: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday announced the revival of the free housing scheme for sanitation workers, stating that eligible employees would receive free 300 sq ft houses, while those opting for larger homes would have to bear the additional cost.
The announcement was made during the distribution of appointment letters to Nagpur Municipal Corporation sanitation workers and the launch of the corporation's 'Aapli Bus' WhatsApp ticketing service. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari was also present at the event.
Addressing the gathering, Fadnavis recalled his tenure as Mayor of Nagpur and said it was a nostalgic moment to return to the Municipal Corporation premises where he had organised several public programmes.
He said the long-pending issue concerning sanitation workers had finally been resolved with the distribution of appointment letters. Referring to the Lad Page Committee report, Fadnavis said successive governments had failed to implement its recommendations, but his government revived the report and ensured its implementation.
The Chief Minister said that during his earlier tenure in 2015, his government clarified that the Lad Page Committee recommendations applied not only to Nagpur Municipal Corporation but to sanitation workers across Maharashtra, leading to their implementation statewide.
Fadnavis said sanitation workers earlier received inadequate salaries and that corrective measures were taken to ensure they were paid according to prescribed norms. He added that 4,407 appointments had been made despite increasing the municipal establishment expenditure.
He also noted that although the implementation of the Lad Page Committee recommendations was challenged in court, the government successfully defended its decision.
The Chief Minister said the free housing scheme for sanitation workers had been discontinued after he left office but was revived after he returned as Chief Minister. Under the scheme, eligible workers will receive free 300 sq ft houses, while those seeking larger homes will have to pay the additional amount.
Fadnavis also said the government was working to create better opportunities for the children of sanitation workers through education and employment. He encouraged workers to establish maintenance service organisations to take up contracts in newly constructed buildings by utilising their skills.
Emphasising the need to fill vacant posts in the municipal corporation, he said timely recruitment was essential to maintain civic services. He also assured continued financial support to the Nagpur Municipal Corporation to ensure balanced development across all parts of the city.