Mumbai, Oct 2026 : Social activist Anjali Damania has questioned the Maharashtra government’s decision to allot 1,200 acres of government land to a company linked to the son-in-law of Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule, raising concerns over transparency, financial safeguards and the terms of the agreement.
Damania sought an explanation for the issuance of two government resolutions (GRs) within a span of two weeks, the alleged bypassing of a competitive tender process and the reported waiver of the security deposit requirement.
She also questioned the change in the government’s original plan for the land. According to Damania, a decision taken in June envisaged developing a green energy park through the Maharashtra Energy Development Agency, known as Mahaurja, under the public-private partnership (PPP) model. However, in September, the same 1,200 acres were allegedly allotted directly to a private company.
Damania asked why the government had changed its approach and argued that the relevant GR did not adequately explain the reasons behind the decision.
She also objected to the proposed lease arrangement, which reportedly permits the land to be leased for 48 years, with a further extension of 48 years. She questioned whether a shorter initial lease would have been more appropriate, allowing the government to assess the company’s performance before extending the arrangement.
Another issue raised by the activist concerned provisions allowing companies within the same group to sub-lease the land without obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Maharashtra State Farming Corporation. Damania also questioned the safeguards governing the government’s right to reclaim the land for public purposes and the reported provision granting the company the first right in the event of a sale.
Questioning the potential public benefit of the project, Damania asked whether consumers would receive electricity at cheaper rates if the land were used for solar power generation. She argued that a transparent tender process would allow the government to select a company offering the highest rent while ensuring fair competition.
Damania demanded that the government collect a security deposit, remove the provision permitting sub-leasing without the required clearance and scrap the company’s reported first right in the event of a sale.
Referring to the state’s financial position, she argued that the government should protect its financial interests by ensuring that valuable public land was allotted through a competitive process.
Sule, responding to the controversy at a party gathering, said her son-in-law’s professional activities were his personal matter. “What my son-in-law does is his matter. How can I speak about him?” she said when asked about Damania’s allegations.
The controversy has raised questions about the terms and transparency of the land allotment. The concerns raised by Damania centre on the government’s decision-making process, the safeguards attached to the lease and whether the state is securing adequate public and financial benefits from the arrangement.
(Disclaimer :The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)
