Mumbai, Jan 29 (IANS): Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who also holds the Housing Department, on Wednesday, said that the state undertaking Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) will construct about one lakh houses in the next two years in the state.

He further added that the state government is committed to fulfilling the housing dream of the common man.

He said that the state's housing policy will be announced soon to achieve this goal.

Shinde said that according to this housing policy, hostels will be set up at various places for common citizens, working women, students, and senior citizens.

He added that 71,642 applications have been received with a deposit amount for the lottery organised for the sale of 3662 flats of MHADA Pune Board.

“This is the trust shown by the applicants in the Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA). In order to justify this trust of the applicants, the winning applicants in the lottery should be given possession of the flats immediately without compromising anywhere in the quality of the houses and the transparency of the lottery. The Maharashtra government is constructing affordable houses through various schemes,” he stated.

He said that MHADA has made available about 30,000 houses through 13 lots in the last one and a half years, which is a commendable thing.

“The government is making every effort to get the stalled housing projects on track and to redevelop the slums. A large amount of housing stock will be available through this means as well. The government is making efforts to carry out planned house construction through the Group Redevelopment Scheme in the cities of Mumbai, Pune and Thane,” he added.

Meanwhile, another Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said that this lottery process is being implemented through this completely online computerised system without human intervention.

“According to this new system, the applicant participates in the lottery process only after the application is registered and eligibility is confirmed. After being declared the winner of the lottery, a notification letter is sent to the applicant and after fulfilling the provisions thereof, a temporary dekar letter is sent to the winning applicants,” he said.

He added that this entire process is very simple and transparent and no intermediary/broker has been appointed by MHADA for this.

“MHADA beneficiaries are a big investment for MHADA and these beneficiaries are MHADA's brand ambassadors,” he remarked.

Ajit Pawar claimed that the Maharashtra government is committed to fulfilling the housing dream of the common man.

The Pune MHADA chairman Shivajirao Adhalrao Patil said that the Pune Board has provided a large number of affordable houses.