Lok Sabha Question No. 44 (STARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Cheating Cases in Metro Cities
Ministry: HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS
Asked by: RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION NO. 44

TO BE ANSWERED ON JULY 19, 2017

## CHEATING CASES IN METRO CITIES

No. 44* PROF.  RAVINDRA VISHWANATH GAIKWAD

Will  the  Minister  of  HOUSING  AND  URBAN  AFFAIRS  be  pleased  to state:

- (a) whether cases of cheating in the name of providing houses
- in  metro cities of the country have come to light;
- (b) if so, the details thereof for the last two years, State-wise;
- (c) the number of cases out of them on which action has been
- taken so far; and
- (d) the details of action taken/being taken by the Government
- against such fraudsters/thugs?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS [RAO INDERJIT SINGH]

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the Sabha.

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STATEMENT  REFRRED  TO  THE  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION NO.  44*  DUE  FOR  19.07.2017  REGARDING  CHEATING  CASES  IN METRO CITIES.

(a) to (d):   Yes, Madam.  Housing  is  a State subject. Providing housing in the metro cities (other than Delhi) is the responsibility of State/UT Governments through its agencies. In Delhi, the houses are provided by Delhi Development Authority (DDA) and Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD). State/UT Governments redress any kind of complaints regarding houses. All the States/UTs and DDA except UT Administration of Chandigarh and State Govt. of Maharashtra have informed that they have not received any case of cheating in the name of providing houses in their respective metro cities.

UT  Administration  of  Chandigarh  has  reported  that  they  have received  three  such  cases,  out  of  which  two  cases  have  been cancelled  and  one  case  is  under  investigation.  State  Govt.  of Maharashtra has received a complaint of cheating case under Credit Linked  Subsidy  Scheme  (CLSS)  of  Pradhan  Mantri  Awas  Yojana (Urban)  mission  at  Pune.  The  relevant  documents  and  information has  been  given  to  Economic  Offence  Wing  (EOW)  Crime  Branch, Pune.  A  First  Information  Report  (FIR)  has  been  filed  against  the Maple  Group  at  Shivaji  Nagar  police  station,  Pune.  State  Mission Directorate,  Pradhan  Mantri  Awas  Yojana  (PMAY)  has  directed Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) to conduct  a  thorough  enquiry  by  the  Chief  Vigilance  &  Security Officer.

It had come to the notice of the Ministry that an organization with  name  National  Housing  Development  Organisation  (NHDO) purportedly  staking  a  claim  to  be  a  part  of  the  Ministry  and  had requested Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) to open an accounting head for organising Rashtriya Awas Divas Event under  the  Housing  for  All  Programme.  The  Ministry  responded  to DAVP that NHDO is not a part of the Ministry. This Ministry further requested  Delhi  Police  to  investigate  the  matter.  Delhi  Police  has lodged an FIR against NHDO under IPC Section 420, 406, 120 and section  3/5  of  Emblems  and  Names  (Prevention  of  Improper  Use) Act, 1950.

In order to deal with alleged complaints/representations regarding bogus builders/developers who have registered and enlisted a large number of customers for allotment of economically weaker sections/lower income group houses in the name of Pradhan Mantri Awas  Yojana  (Urban)  [PMAY(U)]  Mission,  the  following actions have been taken by the Ministry:

- (i)       In order to ensure transparency and facilitate the citizens in registration  for  demand  assessment,  the  Ministry  has  enabled  the facility of online application using the platform of Common Service Centre (CSC) and PMAY (U) MIS Portal.
- (ii)      A disclaimer has been posted on the website of the Ministry intimating general public that this Ministry has not authorized any private  entity  or  person  to  collect  money  as  a  consideration  for availing of any benefit under the PMAY (U) Mission.
- (iii) State/UT Governments have been requested to issue disclaimer/public notice cautioning the general public about unscrupulous individuals/ entities from cheating the general public.
- (iv)     Principal Secretaries/ Secretaries in charge of Housing/ Urban Development  have been requested to exercise vigil on such advertisements or instances where the nomenclature of PMAY (U) Mission  is  being  used  with  mala  fide  intentions  and  to  proceed against the wrongdoers as per law.  The States/ UTs have further been  advised  to  issue  appropriate  instructions  to  the  concerned officials at the district/ULB level for similar action at their end.
- (v)        A  public  notice  cautioning  general  public  against  possible fraud in  the  name of PMAY (U) (coloured advertisement) has been published on 14th May, 2017 in 51 major regional dailies (pan India) through DAVP.

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