Pune July 07 Congress legislator questions civic body's wisdom in use of EWS space Pointing out that affordable housing for the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) of society is as badly needed as slum rehabilitation, Congress MLA Balasaheb Shivarkar has taken on the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC). He has charged the civic administration with using land reserved for EWS housing towards slum rehabilitation projects under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

the cost of the Dharavi redevelopment project (drp) has crossed the Rs 13,000 crore mark from Rs 9,200 crore estimated earlier. The escalation means changes in the bidding process and bids that

Seven years ago, the Jatias, a Mumbai hotelier family, bought land in the city's derelict former textile mills district that was partly occupied by slums and was faced by a large shanty town - hardly where most would site a five-star hotel. But this week, after years of navigating red tape, the 202-room Four Seasons Mumbai became the first luxury hotel of its size to launch in the city's south in about 20 years.

Though there is an economic boom in India there is a flipside to it too. According to estimates there are 80.7 million urban poor in India and a housing shortage of 24.7 million, says Kumari Selja, minister of state (independent charge), housing and urban poverty alleviation.

THE Maharashtra Government will implement an ambitious programme to build ten lakh houses for poor and middle class people in the next two years, Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh said today on the eve of the 48th Maharashtra Day. "Maharashtra is the most progressive state in the country and has given direction to the country," Deshmukh said in his message. "The new housing policy of the government is being discussed in the country and the government has already announced providing 270 sq feet houses to slum-dwellers under the slum rehabilitation scheme," he said. PTI