JDA to auction 49 plots meant for housing poor

Amit Khajuria

Tribune News service

Jammu, August 17

Ignoring the rights of Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of society, the Jammu development Authority (JDA) has opened auction bids for plots in the EWS Colony.

The colony at Roop Nagar was developed in the early 1990s with an aim to provide housing to people belonging to economically weaker sections.

The JDA on Sunday invited a sealed bid for 49 plots and sites at four different sectors of EWS Colony, Roop Nagar, with a minimum price reserved at Rs 2.25 lakh per marla.

The bidders have to pay 10 per cent earnest money on filling the form and are required to deposit 50 per cent of the bidding amount within seven days from the date of opening of the bid and the remaining 50 per cent in two equated installments.

But surprisingly, the JDA this time removed two important clauses in the allotment of EWS plots.

Earlier, it asked for an income certificate to apply for EWS plots and a declaration from the applicant that he or his dependant was not in possession of any residential plot in the state.

But to make money, the authority is allegedly selling plots to the well off and has ignored the rights of weaker sections.

The outgoing vice-chairman, Rajesh Shavan, gave the auction advertisement for publication on Saturday. The new vice-chairman, Pawan Rathore, joined the office on Monday.

Rakesh Gupta, Secretary, JDA, said the locality had already been commercialised and it no longer belonged to weaker sections. “Besides, the earlier vice-chairman believed that the said land could be auctioned. However, I have presented the file to the new vice-chairman and he may take cognisance of the matter,” Rakesh added.