Cong demands ownership rights for custodian properties

New Delhi, Jan 25 (PTI) The opposition Congress in MCDtoday demanded that the tenants staying in residential andnon-residential custodian properties in the national capitalshould be given ownership rights.

Leader of Opposition in MCD J K Sharma told reportersthat the Municipal Commissioner should bring a time-boundscheme for converting these rented properties to lease-hold asit would benefit the civic agency too.

He said 10,625 residential and 3,770 non-residentialcustodian properties were given by the Central government atnominal rent to refugees who came here from Pakistan duringthe partition in 1947. These properties were transferred tothe MCD in 1966.

"In most of these properties situated in areas like oldDelhi, Mehrauli and Lajpat Nagar, the rent is negligible whilethe MCD is spending Rs one crore on their maintenance everyyear. Giving the lease-hold rights to the property occupierswill benefit them as well as the MCD," he said.

He said the tenants are ready to give the fee forconverting these properties to lease-hold which will bringrevenue for the civic body. Sharma said proposals were passedin this regard by the MCD House and Standing Committee earlierbut these were not implemented by officials.