
‘Layout developers should provide sanitary service, water, power in suburbs': Minister Byrathi Suresh
The minister was replying to Council member YM Sateesh, who stated that the government has created confusion in Ballari Urban Development Authority (BUDA) over the SC order on not giving Occupancy Certificate for buildings and sites that violate bylaws, is collecting taxes and not giving services like power, water and sanitary services.
Suresh said that after the sale deed and other documents are checked, Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA) verifies the papers. The layout plan, fire department's no-objection certificate, and other permissions are checked, and if all conditions are clear, recognition is given for sites. 'If the layout is under corporation limits, the civic body will take responsibility for supply of power, water and sanitary services, and also ensure maintenance. Developers who take crores of rupees to develop layouts and sites outside the corporation's ambit, have to instal water lines, sanitary pipes and other civic infrastructure. The government will only give approvals,' he said.
The minister also informed the Council that the State government has recognised owners who do not have valid documents, and come up with 'E' for guarantee of their land records. He also stated that those in an unauthorised layout and areas that are public roads or access were given B-khata status; however, unlike owners of A-khata, permission for construction of approvals will not be given.
The minister replied to member Basangouda Badarli on 251 acres of Turvehal village and drinking water project-related works, saying that 60 per cent of the population is given water, and due to contractors taking the matter to court, 40 per cent is delayed. 'We have approached the finance department for Rs 22 crore, and have permission to complete the project. We will complete it in six months,' he said, adding that a committee will be formed under the leadership of the chief engineer, and seek a report on poor water supply.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


India Today
15 minutes ago
- India Today
550 Mumbai chawl families receive keys of new redeveloped spacious apartments
Mumbai's century-old Worli BDD chawls saw a major shift on Thursday as 556 families received keys to their new 500-sq ft high-rise apartments under the long-pending redevelopment project. Residents are moving from cramped 180-sq ft rooms to modern 2-BHK homes, some offering sea redevelopment, carried out by Tata Housing in partnership with the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA), includes two completed towers of 40 floors each, with work on other buildings larger Bombay Development Department (BDD) chawl redevelopment — covering Worli, Naigaum in Dadar, and NM Joshi Marg — is estimated at over Rs 17,000 crore. Once complete, 15,593 families will transition from 160-sq ft homes to 500-sq ft apartments. Amenities in the new towers include a rainwater harvesting system, rooftop solar panels, automatic corridor light sensors, and planned parking month, residents were given a preview of "tower life" during an orientation session, which included guidelines such as not storing footwear or belongings in many, the day was the fulfilment of a decades-long wait. Ravindra Mayekar, 58, whose 75-year-old mother is among the beneficiaries, said, "We have been waiting for this house to be completed for years. It's a dream come true. People should stay in these houses and not sell them to others. This is gold which we should leave for our next generation".Others, still awaiting possession, expressed mixed feelings. Stayawan Bankar, who lives in an old building next to the construction site, said, "Construction is ongoing next to our building. Due to this, mosquito infestation has increased. Last year my daughter was admitted to the hospital twice. My dream of having a family is complete, now waiting for the dream of a house to be completed".For the Kulkarni family, Thursday was an emotional milestone. "It's my grandmother's deeds that we have got this house today. Since I was growing up I have been hearing that Worli BDD will be redeveloped. To see it happening is a dream come true. My family plans to stay here," said 22-year-old Varad to local property agent Santosh Singh, Worli's real estate rates range from Rs 60,000 per sq ft for regular flats to Rs 1.25 lakh for luxury units."In case of Worli BDD, because it's a redeveloped building, it will cost around Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 per sq ft even if made well. So the costing will be at Rs 2 crores per flat as a middle-class person can't pay more than," he the new homeowners, the move marks the beginning of a new chapter — one that transforms a 100-year-old community into a modern vertical neighborhood.- Ends IN THIS STORY#Mumbai


India Today
30 minutes ago
- India Today
'Save Gujarat University' protest amid corruption allegations, students seek audit
Members of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), former syndicate members, and former students, are staging protests amid allegations of large-scale corruption at Gujarat University. The protesters, carrying posters and beating drums, accused the administration of irregularities in projects like the Rifle Club, Tennis Court, Convention Center, and Food Court. They have launched a "Save Gujarat University" campaign.A heavy police presence was deployed on campus as demonstrators sat outside Vice Chancellor Neerja Gupta's office, raising slogans and demanding an audit. They have given the VC a 72-hour ultimatum to act, including filing FIRs against those syndicate member Indravijay Singh Gohil alleged that Gupta had broken a fixed deposit of Rs 150 crore out of the university's Rs 240 crore reserve for the first time in its history. He also claimed that the VC was appointing retired ONGC employees, allegedly linked to her husband, on salaries ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 5 further alleged that a syndicate member had demanded Rs 75 lakh from a university head of department, and that there was a recording of the incident. He accused the university of handing over facilities to private agencies without tenders, citing the convention center renovation cost of Rs 35 crore—more than its original construction cost of Rs 30 crore—as an also questioned why academy receipts for the tennis court were issued under a private name, with the university taking only 30 per cent of the Congress chief spokesperson, Manish Doshi, backed the protesters, saying corruption had increased after the implementation of the University Act. "Land is being given to private agencies without tender. FIRs must be filed and an independent audit conducted so that the truth comes out," he Chancellor Neerja Gupta rejected all allegations. She said the university had acted within four days on the Rs 75 lakh bribe matter by securing the resignation of the syndicate member involved. However, she noted that the FIR will have to be filed by those from whom the money was the fixed deposit claim, Gupta said it was false and that "proof will be given" showing the fixed deposit amount remains denied handing over the sports academy to a private agency, explaining that tenders were invited but no bidders came forward, so the university runs it with outside coaching support. "70 percent of tennis court earnings go to coaching and maintenance; the remaining 30 percent goes to the university," she clarified that the convention center had been converted into Dhanvantri Hospital during Covid-19 and was now being restored as a convention hall at a cost of Rs 35 lakh, not Rs 35 crore. She dismissed the Rifle Club allegations as "AI-generated misinformation" and denied any Rs 5 lakh membership standoff continues, with protesters insisting on swift action and the university administration standing by its denials.- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Gujarat

The Hindu
40 minutes ago
- The Hindu
Tamil Nadu's KMUT Scheme: Gains and Gaps in Cash Transfer to Women
Published : Aug 14, 2025 21:01 IST - 6 MINS READ A year after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-led government in Tamil Nadu launched the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thittam (KMUT) scheme, an unconditional monthly cash transfer of Rs.1,000 to the female head of eligible households in the State, a new report says that the scheme has helped in advancing women's financial autonomy but is yet to address some critical gaps. The report, titled 'A Right to Care, A Right to Welfare: A Study of the Kalaignar Mahalir Urimai Thittam', was released at Chennai's Anna Centenary Library on August 11, months before the 2026 Assembly election in the State. The survey was carried out by a team of researchers led by Prabha Kotiswaran in six districts: Virudhunagar, Dharmapuri, Coimbatore, Nagapattinam, Vellore, and Kancheepuram. 'The KMUT scheme recognises women's unpaid work and is very robust in terms of notification and implementation. We found that women are experiencing higher levels of financial well-being,' said Kotiswaran, a professor of law and social justice at The Dickson Poon School of Law, King's College London (KCL). She added that compared with cash transfer schemes in other States, the Tamil Nadu model 'offered hope'. Expenditure and food choices under KMUT The report, part of KCL's Laws of Social Reproduction project, shows that 96 per cent of the beneficiaries feel free from financial anxieties and more confident in handling life situations. A clear result of this increased independence is the way women decide to spend or save the KMUT amount. The report found that 82 per cent of beneficiaries spent the money, 6 per cent saved it entirely, and 12 per cent split it between saving and spending. About half the women used it for household goods, with spending on medicines now higher than everyday items. The data also showed that the beneficiaries were less likely to spend it on themselves. For instance, the report mentioned a beneficiary with a family of six who said that with inflation, she could not afford to spend anything on herself. Also Read | Welfare schemes win female voters but fail to boost women in politics The report states that the scheme has allowed women to buy a greater variety of food, with fish consumption seeing a notable rise among beneficiaries (17 percentage points) and their household members (19 percentage points). But it also notes that women are eating fewer meals because of rising grocery costs, indicating the amount is insufficient for their own expenses. Role in women's financial independence KMUT has changed the way things work at home for many, as the case of 36-year-old Vijayalakshmi suggests. A member of the women's union Penn Thozhilalar Sangam (PTS), Vijayalakshmi told Frontline that she found the KMUT amount to be helpful as it was extra income for her. 'Before, my kids would go to their father if they wanted something. Now, they come to me too,' she said. In the pre-survey, researchers found that women were at peace with the KMUT amount in hand. One year into the scheme, 91 per cent of the beneficiaries felt self-sufficient and autonomous, 95 per cent were able to spend without their husbands' permission, and 96 per cent felt like an asset rather than a liability. According to the report, women not only have more control over their finances but are also more financially aware, withdrawing their KMUT amount from banks, ATMs, customer service points, and e-Sevai centres. Yet, despite these gains, some PTS members voiced criticism. 'Government functionaries should understand that if women are happy with receiving this meagre amount, how bad their livelihood must be. That should signal that the scheme is hence a failure,' said Sumathi Dorairaj, a PTS member and activist. Kavitha, another PTS member, said that KMUT had not reached more than half the designated people. 'And those who have missed out on it are the ones in the lower reaches of society,' she added. Vijayalakshmi, however, saw no issue with the amount and said it would be spent regardless of how much it was. Impact on work and domestic violence The research found mixed results for the scheme's impact on paid and unpaid work. While the earnings from paid work outside the home fell by 95 per cent, paid work done at home rose by 36 per cent. Savings from unpaid work increased by 14 per cent. The report said some women used the money to travel for paid work, while others used it to earn from home or make domestic and care work easier. But having more income and independence also led to some unexpected problems. The study found a rise in certain forms of domestic violence among the beneficiaries surveyed. Minor violence became more frequent, with indicators such as husbands showing anger or jealousy when their wives spoke to other men or accusing them of being unfaithful. Major violence also increased—physical abuse by husbands rose by 34 percentage points, and wives hitting husbands went up by 16 percentage points. Incidents of sexual violence increased as well, with the frequency of forceful sexual acts rising by 53 per cent. Rethinking the scheme As per the report, 67 per cent of the beneficiaries felt that the KMUT amount should be increased. 'Widows must be given at least Rs.5,000. Many are denied the money because they are under 45 years of age. If they are above 45, they are refused on the grounds that their children are over 18. This Rs. 1,000 is not enough for them,' R. Sumathi, PTS general secretary, told Frontline. Narbadeshwar Mishra, an assistant professor of economics at O.P. Jindal Global University and one of the report's co-authors, said that Rs.1,000 is not enough to lift women out of poverty. He added that while it has made them more familiar with banking, many still do not use it much, and the small amount makes it harder to get loans. The report also observes that some beneficiaries want jobs over payments, and many expect the government to expand the scheme's eligibility criteria to include all women. It stated that '56 per cent of the respondents said they would prefer to access paid work instead of the cash transfer scheme, with only 21 per cent saying they preferred receiving just the cash transfer'. Right to care The report also calls for the inclusion of beneficiaries and women's groups in designing and improving the welfare system, linking it to a formal right to care. PTS president Sujata Mody said that the government must communicate with them to understand what needs to be done going forward. 'In a State like Tamil Nadu, where gender divide is deeply ingrained, KMUT offers respect and appreciation to women. But one cash transfer is not enough, as the scheme has negatively impacted other programmes such as the old age pension, scholarships for children, and MNREGA funds. If the government says the funds are limited, they should be better targeted,' Mody told Frontline. Also Read | The myth of the 'women vote bank' The report concludes that while KMUT has emerged as a success story, it is only a single step forward to empower women. It emphasises recognising unpaid domestic and care work under the UN's Sustainable Development Goals to enable its redistribution. Kotiswaran hopes that the report would help improve KMUT's implementation, including a reconsideration of eligibility criteria with a renewed focus on its purpose—to recognise care. 'If Tamil Nadu is serious about this, more must be done—embed the right to care and cash transfers in law, recognise care workers' rights (including scheme and domestic workers), and invest in the care economy,' she said.