Amid the controversy over the alleged irregularities in the allotment of sites by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) under the 50:50 scheme for land losers, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said his wife had been allotted sites in lieu of her land, which the Authority acquired for developing a residential layout on the outskirts of the city.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, Mr. Siddaramaiah said the allotment of sites to his wife during the rule of the erstwhile BJP Government in the State was as per the 50:50 scheme introduced by the regime.
The 50:50 scheme of MUDA envisages allotting 50% of developed land to the land loser in lieu of the total undeveloped land acquired for the purpose of developing a residential layout.
He said his brother-in-law Mallikarjuna had purchased 3 acres and 16 guntas of land near Kesare adjacent to the Outer Ring Road in Mysuru and had later transferred it to his sister, who is Mr. Siddaramaiah’s wife, through a gift deed as her share.
Mr. Siddaramaiah pointed out that the MUDA had formed a residential layout on the land belonging to his wife and distributed the sites to allottees.
Legally entitled
Contending that his wife was legally entitled to compensation for the land on which MUDA had developed a residential layout and allotted the sites, Mr. Siddaramaiah said they agreed to MUDA’s offer to allot alternative residential sites under the 50:50 scheme in lieu of his wife’s acquired land.
“When MUDA made a layout and distributed sites on our land, we were without land. Should we lose our property,” he asked.
As no sites were available in the layout developed on his wife’s land, MUDA allotted them alternative residential sites of the dimension they were entitled to under the 50:50 scheme rules, Mr. Siddaramaiah said.
He also sought to make it clear that his wife had not sought allotment of alternative sites when he was the Chief Minister but when BJP was in power in the State.
Mr. Siddaramaiah’s clarification comes amid a row over alleged irregularities in the distribution of sites under the 50:50 scheme, causing a huge loss to MUDA.
High-level probe
Minister for Urban Development Byrathi Suresh, who arrived in Mysuru on Monday, ordered a high-level probe by a four-member committee headed by headed by Commissioner, Urban Development Authorities, Venkatachalapathi R., an IAS officer.
While the Inquiry Committee is expected to probe the irregularities in the allotment of sites under the 50:50 scheme during the last two years, Mr. Suresh assured to cancel all the “illegal” allotments made under the scheme.
Apart from ordering a probe, the Government has transferred senior officials of MUDA including Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar.
New chairman
On Tuesday, the government issued orders appointing Mr. Raghunandan A.N., a senior-grade KAS official, who was working as Deputy Secretary-2 in the Urban Development Department, Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru, as the new Commissioner of MUDA, replacing Mr. Dinesh Kumar.
Mr. Prasanna Kumar, also a senior-grade KAS official, who had been working as the Chief Manager, Karnataka Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Limited, Bengaluru, will be the new Secretary of MUDA.
