Mumbai, Nov 6 (IANS) Shiv Sena MP Milind Deora on Friday expressed displeasure over not being invited to a government event organised by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in Colaba for the distribution of homes to sanitation workers under the ‘Ashray’ scheme.
Taking serious note of the omission, Deora has written a letter to BMC Commissioner Ashwini Bhide, raising concerns over the disregard for protocol and the exclusion of an elected public representative from an important government event.
The ceremony, held on Friday in the presence of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, witnessed the distribution of keys to beneficiaries of the Ashray scheme.
Several dignitaries, including Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, Mayor Ritu Tawde, Deputy Mayor Sanjay Ghadi and senior civic officials, were present.
However, Deora, who represents Maharashtra in the Rajya Sabha and previously served as a two-time MP from South Mumbai and a Union Minister, was not extended an invitation.
In his letter to the Municipal Commissioner, Deora highlighted that elected public representatives must be accorded due respect and recognition at government events, particularly those concerning development initiatives in their constituencies.
He has urged the BMC to ensure that established protocol is strictly followed and that all concerned public representatives are appropriately invited and acknowledged at future government events.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Fadnavis said that the sanitation worker, who cares for the health of citizens while ignoring their own health, is truly a provider of good health.
The state government has taken a decision to provide ownership houses along with service quarters to all sanitation workers in Maharashtra, and its implementation has already begun.
Expressing his confidence, the Chief Minister added that in the future, no sanitation worker will have to worry about owning a home.
He was speaking at the key distribution ceremony for the newly constructed staff quarters under Phase-2 of the Ashray Yojana Cell at Panchsheel Nagar in Colaba.
CM Fadnavis said that two schemes—Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Shram Safalya and Valmiki Housing Scheme—have been launched for sanitation workers.
The service quarters provided to sanitation workers are transferred to their children once they succeed them in employment.
Service quarters will be made available to all sanitation workers by 2028. Until now, pre-fab (prefabricated) technology was used only to build large private buildings.
For the first time, a Municipal Corporation building has been constructed using this technology. Common amenities and facilities have been provided within this building premises.
The Chief Minister added that it is the state government’s responsibility to provide good, spacious homes to sanitation workers who protect the health of Mumbaikars without worrying about their own.
The BMC is relatively one of the prosperous municipal corporations in Asia.
The state government has consistently maintained that its sanitation workers must have spacious homes.
“The Lad-Page Committee was constituted in 1973, but its operations ceased later due to certain difficulties. This committee was revived in 2015 by issuing a new Government Resolution (GR) to implement the compassionate appointment (hereditary lineage) system,” the Chief Minister said.
Chief Minister Fadnavis also added that a decision has been taken to offer Class-3 jobs to the children of sanitation workers who possess the required educational qualifications.
Winning the legal battle in court, the state government has implemented the recommendations of the Lad-Page Committee.
Along with regular sanitation workers, the state government has also decided to provide minimum wages and facilities to contractual, daily wage, and substitute (Aivajdar) workers.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde in his speech said that when Mumbai is fast asleep, sanitation workers clean the streets to safeguard the health of Mumbaikars.
“During the Covid-19 period, they rendered their services without caring for their own lives. Whether during deep cleaning drives or when streets are waterlogged during the monsoon, these workers step out onto the roads to work. Therefore, the real hero of Mumbai is the sanitation worker,” he added.
Deputy CM Shinde said that the first phase of the initiative to provide service quarters to 29,000 BMC sanitation workers has commenced.
“Phase-by-phase redevelopment of 146 staff colonies in Mumbai will be carried out to provide quality housing to all workers. In this project, 300-square-foot homes have been provided instead of 150-square-foot ones. The BMC has utilised prefabricated technology for the first time to construct these homes rapidly.”
Deputy CM Shinde emphasised the need to accelerate such projects using new technology.
“Many sanitation workers live outside Mumbai. The daily commute by train affects their health and work efficiency. If they get service quarters within Mumbai, it will improve their health and work performance, helping keep Mumbai cleaner and healthier,” he noted.
He also instructed the BMC to formulate a dedicated scheme for the higher education of sanitation workers’ children so they can become doctors, engineers, lawyers, and architects, joining the mainstream of society.
–IANS
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