Hema Malini gets 2,000 sq metre plot for Rs 70,000 for dance academy

RTI activist Anil Galgali said that Ms Malini’s institute has been allotted the land at Rs 35 per square metre.

Mumbai

: Information received under the Right to Information Act has revealed that the state government has agreed to allot 2,000 square metre plot at Oshiwara to a dance academy proposed by veteran actor and BJP MP Hema Malini for Rs 70,000.

RTI activist Anil Galgali, who got this information from the Mumbai suburban collector under the RTI said that Ms Malini’s institute has been allotted the land at Rs 35 per square metre, which comes to around Rs 70,000.

“The allotment executed in 2016 has been done on the rate of valuation based on February 1, 1976, which was Rs 140 per Sq Metres. The land allotment has been done at the 25 per cent rate of Rs 140, which works out to Rs 35 per Sq Metres,” Mr Galgali said.

Previously the actress was allotted a land at Versowa village of the same Andheri taluka on April 4, 1997 for which a payment of Rs 10 lakhs was made. But since a portion of that land was effected with CRZ regulations, she had not undertaken any construction on the land.

According to officials from the revenue department, Ms Malini had requested the state government in 1996 to allot land to her Trust for setting up a cultural art centre where music, art and classical dance classes would be held.

After the BJP came to power in the state, Ms Malini met revenue minister Eknath Khadse and requested that a decision be taken at the earliest on her proposal, which was pending for nearly 20 years. Accordingly, the minister, after verifying the file, directed the department to issue the order to release land for Ms Malini’s Trust. The sanction order was issued on December 23 and the minister personally handed over the copy of the order to Ms Malini.