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Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Haryana: Affordable housing e-draw portal to be linked with Aadhaar to tackle irregularities
GURUGRAM : Govt's online portal for drawing of lots in affordable housing schemes will directly cross-check and verify applicant details with information in the Aadhaar card to make the process more transparent and eliminate chances of duplication or manipulation. Officials of the department of town and country planning (DTCP) said on Friday that the updated portal – called TCP Haryana – will fetch applicant details such as name, address and mobile number from the Aadhaar card. This will prevent manual data entry errors and manipulation while ensuring that only eligible candidates are considered for allotments. The move comes in response to irregularities uncovered in the 2023 housing draw of Aster Avenue 36 in Sector 36, Sohna. During the draw of lots for 702 flats at the society, those with addresses given as 'Sohna City' were considered eligible for the scheme, limiting the pool to 2,200 entries out of 51,000 applicants. This was blamed on a technical error. Cross-checking with Aadhaar would do away with chances of such errors, officials said. The Aster Avenue draw was cancelled after an internal probe, and a fresh draw was conducted. But 26 applicants were found to have been repeated in both the shortlists, raising more concerns about fairness and the integrity of the system. "Going forward, the Aadhaar-linked system will automatically populate the applicant's details and verify if they have previously been allotted flats under any affordable housing scheme. If found ineligible, their application will be auto-rejected by the system," said Renuka Singh, senior town planner, DTCP. "All past applicant data from earlier schemes is now being integrated into this upgraded software," Singh said. Additionally, the system will prevent any duplicate entries and ensure that no one can bypass eligibility rules. The new mechanism is expected to significantly reduce the administrative burden and potential biases associated with manual data handling. The Aster Avenue 36 matter is currently pending before the Punjab and Haryana high court, and the next hearing is scheduled for July 9. Applicants who were declared successful in the original draw have yet to receive refunds, while allotment letters for 702 flats drawn in the second round remain on hold because of ongoing legal proceedings.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Affordable housing e-draw portal to be linked with Aadhaar to tackle irregularities
Gurgaon: Govt's online portal for drawing of lots in affordable housing schemes will directly cross-check and verify applicant details with information in the Aadhaar card to make the process more transparent and eliminate chances of duplication or manipulation. Officials of the department of town and country planning (DTCP) said on Friday that the updated portal – called TCP Haryana – will fetch applicant details such as name, address and mobile number from the Aadhaar card. This will prevent manual data entry errors and manipulation while ensuring that only eligible candidates are considered for allotments. The move comes in response to irregularities uncovered in the 2023 housing draw of Aster Avenue 36 in Sector 36, Sohna. During the draw of lots for 702 flats at the society, those with addresses given as 'Sohna City' were considered eligible for the scheme, limiting the pool to 2,200 entries out of 51,000 applicants. This was blamed on a technical error. Cross-checking with Aadhaar would do away with chances of such errors, officials said. The Aster Avenue draw was cancelled after an internal probe, and a fresh draw was conducted. But 26 applicants were found to have been repeated in both the shortlists, raising more concerns about fairness and the integrity of the system. "Going forward, the Aadhaar-linked system will automatically populate the applicant's details and verify if they have previously been allotted flats under any affordable housing scheme. If found ineligible, their application will be auto-rejected by the system," said Renuka Singh, senior town planner, DTCP. "All past applicant data from earlier schemes is now being integrated into this upgraded software," Singh said. Additionally, the system will prevent any duplicate entries and ensure that no one can bypass eligibility rules. The new mechanism is expected to significantly reduce the administrative burden and potential biases associated with manual data handling. The Aster Avenue 36 matter is currently pending before the Punjab and Haryana high court, and the next hearing is scheduled for July 9. Applicants who were declared successful in the original draw have yet to receive refunds, while allotment letters for 702 flats drawn in the second round remain on hold because of ongoing legal proceedings. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
Hindustan Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Review: The Greatest Punjabi Stories Ever Told
A curation of 30 of the finest short stories that capture the essence of the Punjabi spirit, The Greatest Punjabi Stories Ever Told collates stories across four generations of writers and covers the period from the Partition to the pandemic. Renuka Singh and Balbir Madhopuri have done a fine job of bringing excellent translations to contemporary consciousness and giving voice to both established and emerging writers. While those unfamiliar with the history of Punjab might imagine that stories from the state would feature an idyllic pastoral life, this collection will quickly disabuse them of the notion. Turns out the 'simple life' is rife with the horrors of war, social injustice and oppression. In these stories set against the lushest of green fields, readers learn of the magnitude of challenges and the quantum of pain and loss that Punjabis have endured. From the horrors of Partition to the rigidity of customs, these stories look at the themes of morality, freedom, religion, and history. Most of all, they are moving meditations on difficult questions: What is the humane thing to do? Who is in the right in complex times? Many of the characters in these stories are stripped of their agency, surrender to their fates, and are forced to react to the bizarre circumstances that they find themselves in. In Daughter of the Rebel by Gurmukh Singh Musafir, a child of two freedom fighters is taken in by her paternal aunt only to be turned out by the aunt's husband who aspires to be a high-ranking officer in the British army. In Dance of the Devil by Sant Singh Sekhon, a young Muslim woman forsakes her religion for the sake of her children's future. However, the cost of becoming the wife of one of those who captured and forced her people to flee to Pakistan is too high to bear. In Sujaan Singh's Sunrise at Last set in a recently partitioned India, a young Muslim woman, Naseem, is sheltered from a pillaging mob by an atheist Sikh and a Muslim disbeliever. This forces her to ponder about who are the actual saints and who the kafirs. In Mohinder Singh Sarna's Savage Harvest, a blacksmith is forced to make weapons that are used to kill people in the aftermath of the Partition. Unable to meet his wife's stare or stand up to his sons, he is put to the test when the village priest's wife shows up unaware of what has transpired. While some of these stories portray conflict during a bloody chapter of modern India's history, others feature the rituals, traditions and culture of the Punjabis, their connection to the land and their villages, and the pitfalls of the agrarian way of life. In Bowl of Milk, Nanak Singh tells the story of a young man being force fed by the relatives he is visiting. He heaves a sigh of relief when there is no more milk left in the entire village. In Navtej Singh's The Charity Coat, a teacher who supports his family on his meagre income shivers in the cold until he is gifted an old coat by the wife of his patron. Little does he know that the coat will cost him his livelihood. In Dog and Man, a labourer finds himself alone after his wife has left him and their son, who resents him. His only companion is the stray dog whom she used to feed. The dog initially refuses to accept food from him, but in the end, nuzzles close. In Stench of Kerosene, Amrita Pritam narrates the gut-wrenching story of a couple where a man is forced by his mother to take on a second wife after the first fails to produce a child. While the husband is unable to protest, he cannot bear to look at the new wife and their child and the story ends in tragedy. In Kartar Singh Duggal's Majha Is Not Dead, a tonga driver laments to his horse about the automobiles destroying his livelihood. He keeps it up until he finally gets a passenger whom he disbars from his tonga for moral reasons. Though the rider and the horse return home empty-handed, their hearts are full. Sukirat's Home, a more contemporary story, is a tender portrayal of a same-sex couple from different faiths and economic backgrounds who are united in Bombay, the city of dreams. Here, questions of education, friendship, love and gender are examined. In Kesra Ram's Whither My Native Land?, a dark tale about the migrant exodus during the pandemic, two policemen who are following 'orders' and beating up those trying to get home, grow a conscience. In sum, The Greatest Punjabi Stories Ever Told is a unique portrait of Punjab and its people that provides a great entry point for those interested in the history and literature of the state. Percy Bharucha is a freelance writer and illustrator. Instagram: @percybharucha
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
E-draw for 708 affordable flats will be held again in Gurugram
GURUGRAM : The department of town and country planning (DTCP) has scrapped the e-draw held on Jan 27 for the allotment of 708 flats under the affordable housing scheme in Sohna Sector 36. The decision to scrap the e-draw — announced through a public notice on Thursday (May 1) — came after alleged "technical discrepancies and regional bias" raised serious concerns over the fairness of the process. A four-member probe panel has already been set up after "technical glitches" hit the Aster Avenue-36 project being developed by 4S Developers Pvt Ltd. A senior DTCP official, who ordered a probe on Feb 13, said on Friday the allotments stand cancelled and a fresh draw will be conducted soon. "Instructions have been issued for a complete review and test run of the software to ensure future draws comply with policy norms," he said. According to the public notice issued by senior town planner Renuka Singh on May 1, the department cancelled the draw after discovering only 2,200 of the 51,586 valid applications were processed by the e-draw software due to a technical glitch. The flawed draw not only excluded a large number of applicants but also raised eyebrows when all 708 flats were allotted to residents of Sohna town alone. This allocation pattern violated the state's Affordable Housing Policy, 2013 which prioritises Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) beneficiaries but does not allow preference based on geographic location. Anamika, an applicant from Delhi, said, "It's unfair that all flats went to one town. The govt must ensure transparency." Arvind Kumar from the city echoed her concerns, saying, "Affordable housing should be inclusive. This issue must not be repeated." Following the controversy, a four-member committee was set up to investigate whether the irregularities stemmed from a technical malfunction, administrative oversight or deliberate bias. The panel, comprising senior officials from the town planning and IT departments, has been directed to examine the e-draw system and submit a report within 10 days. The project, under licence number 235 of 2023, originally received 52,033 applications, out of which 447 were disqualified due to incomplete documents. A DTCP official said, "Applicants who no longer wish to participate in the project can withdraw their applications through the portal ( and receive a full refund. The department assured that the fresh draw will include all 51,586 previously eligible applicants and the date will be announced shortly." The incident has sparked a debate on the need for greater oversight in Haryana's affordable housing allotment system.
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Tech glitch, regional bias: E-draw for 708 affordable flats will be held again in Gurgaon
Gurgaon: The department of town and country planning (DTCP) has scrapped the e-draw held on Jan 27 for the allotment of 708 flats under the affordable housing scheme in Sohna Sector 36. The decision to scrap the e-draw — announced through a public notice on Thursday (May 1) — came after alleged "technical discrepancies and regional bias" raised serious concerns over the fairness of the process. A four-member probe panel has already been set up after "technical glitches" hit the Aster Avenue-36 project being developed by 4S Developers Pvt Ltd. A senior DTCP official, who ordered a probe on Feb 13, said on Friday the allotments stand cancelled and a fresh draw will be conducted soon. "Instructions have been issued for a complete review and test run of the software to ensure future draws comply with policy norms," he said. You Can Also Check: Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon According to the public notice issued by senior town planner Renuka Singh on May 1, the department cancelled the draw after discovering only 2,200 of the 51,586 valid applications were processed by the e-draw software due to a technical glitch. The flawed draw not only excluded a large number of applicants but also raised eyebrows when all 708 flats were allotted to residents of Sohna town alone. This allocation pattern violated the state's Affordable Housing Policy, 2013 which prioritises Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) beneficiaries but does not allow preference based on geographic location. Anamika, an applicant from Delhi, said, "It's unfair that all flats went to one town. The govt must ensure transparency." Arvind Kumar from the city echoed her concerns, saying, "Affordable housing should be inclusive. This issue must not be repeated." Following the controversy, a four-member committee was set up to investigate whether the irregularities stemmed from a technical malfunction, administrative oversight or deliberate bias. The panel, comprising senior officials from the town planning and IT departments, has been directed to examine the e-draw system and submit a report within 10 days. The project, under licence number 235 of 2023, originally received 52,033 applications, out of which 447 were disqualified due to incomplete documents. A DTCP official said, "Applicants who no longer wish to participate in the project can withdraw their applications through the portal ( and receive a full refund. The department assured that the fresh draw will include all 51,586 previously eligible applicants and the date will be announced shortly." The incident has sparked a debate on the need for greater oversight in Haryana's affordable housing allotment system.
