BHUBANESWAR: In the firing line over fresh controversy on discretionary quota in the allotment of land, plots and houses, the State Government on Wednesday decided to do away with the system forthwith. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik directed that there will be no discretionary quota with immediate effect.“The Chief Minister today directed all the development authorities and the Odisha State Housing Board (OSHB) to stop allotment of land, plots and houses based on discretionary quota,” a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) said.The decision comes ahead of the winter session of the Assembly beginning Friday. The Opposition was readying to raise the issue of Law and Rural Development Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh availing two houses from the Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) on discretionary quota flouting rules. Arukh has surrendered one of the two houses at Pokhariput area to the BDA on Tuesday. The house is likely to be auctioned.However, a Congress leader said the sudden decision shows to what extent the Chief Minister is apprehensive over the discretionary quota issue.Naveen has also initiated the process to streamline allotment of land under the General Administration department in Bhubaneswar. In case of GA land for Bhubaneswar, there is no discretionary quota as well.Land is allotted based on the recommendation of a committee headed by the Director of Estates since 1988. The Chief Minister has directed that a committee, headed by the Chief Secretary, will henceforth scrutinise all the proposals for allotment of land under the General Administration department in Bhubaneswar before recommending the same.The committee will comprise principal secretaries in the Finance and Law departments, secretaries in the Revenue and Disaster Management, Housing and Urban Development departments and Special Secretary in the GA department.
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