Venkaiah Naidu for early possession of 8,700 sqm Rajya Sabha Secretariat land

New Delhi: Ex-officio Chairman of the Rajya Sabha M. Venkaiah Naidu, here on Thursday, asked the Housing and Urban Development Ministry Secretary to resolve the issue of 8,700 square meter (sqm) land allotted to the Upper House Secretariat in 2003.

The 8,700 sqm land was allotted in R.K. Puram of South Delhi. Of this, 4,384.25 sqm is occupied by different organisations, including three NGOs, and 1,193.54 sqm by slums.

He asked the Secretary to initiate steps to get the land cleared of encroachment urgently.

Naidu said while reviewing the status of the land with senior officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat, the Housing and Urban Development Ministry, the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, the Land and Development Office and legal counsel.

Expressing unhappiness over the delay in handing over the possession of the land, Naidu asked officials to take steps to resolve the legal hurdles that had impeded the clearance of land.

He has been constantly reviewing the progress on the issue since June 2018. He wants construction of Rajya Sabha TV office, houses for the Rajya Sabha Secretariat staff, which is pending for long. It will also translate into substantial savings to the exchequer.

Naidu said the Rajya Sabha TV earlier paid Rs 30 crore rent a year, which had been reduced to Rs 15 crore after his intervention with the New Delhi Municipal Council. Even Rs 15 crore was an avoidable burden, he added.

Naidu also noted Rs 1.25 crore was incurred by the Rajya Sabha towards the cost of land and relocation of slums in 2003 itself.

Referring to Rs 1.25 lakh being paid per month for the security, he said that was infructuous unless the possession of land was secured.