50% quota for Mantralaya scribes in Maharashtra housing scheme

The Maharashtra government has decided to reserve 50 per cent residences for members of the 'Mantralaya Aani Vidhimandal Vartahar Sangh' in Mumbai under a housing scheme of the MHADA, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced Wednesday.

Fadnavis made the remarks here at an award function, when he conferred lifetime achievement award to veteran journalist Dinu Randive among others.

The Maharashtra Housing and Area Development Authority (MHADA) is a state-run agency.

Speaking at the event, Fadnavis said the government has tried to give "stability" to the fourth pillar of democracy, the media, in the past four years and listed decisions his dispensation has taken in this regard.

"The MHADA has prepared a scheme for residences of journalists. It has been decided that members of the Mantralaya Aani Vidhimandal Vartahar Sangh will have 50 per cent reservation in it.

"Location has been finalised and the process concerned will be completed in a month," he added.

Fadnavis also hailed 93-year-old Randive, who had started his journalistic career in 1956.

Randive also participated in the freedom struggle, the Samyukta Maharashtra agitation and the Goa liberation movement.

Award winners in other categories included Vishwas Waghmode, Mahesh Tiwari and Prajakta Pol.