What Is MUDA Scam That Siddaramaiah Is Facing Allegations About? (Photo @@siddaramaiah)
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has been stuck in an alleged scam, facing allegations of being beneficiary of illegal allotment of sites by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) involving his wife, Parvathi. The challenge before the chief minister grew further when the governor today approved his prosecution over alleged irregularities in site allotment amid the BJP’s relentless campaign demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation, though he denied all the charges.
What Is MUDA’s 50:50 Scheme
The MUDA, one of the state’s first urban planning and development bodies, oversees the planning and development of infrastructure, the provision of development-related sites and services, and the housing needs of underprivileged citizens. The allegations were about an allotment under MUDA’s 50:50 scheme, introduced in 2020, which entitles land losers to 50% of the developed sites. Under the scheme, land owners were promised 50% of the developed site per acre that they provide for development.
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What Are The Allegations
Chief Minister’s wife Parvathi Siddaramaiah had owned 3 acres and 16 guntas of land in Kesare village, Mysore. This land was acquired by MUDA for development, and in 2021, Parvathi was compensated with sites totaling 38,283 sq ft in Vijayanagar 3rd and 4th stage layouts, a prime locality in South Mysore. Notably, the market value of these sites in Vijayanagar was allegedly higher than the original land in Kesare, with several anti-curruption activists and the BJP suspecting the fairness and alleging that the Parvati benefited significantly from the allotment. But the chief minister’s wife was allotted new sites during the BJP rule in 2021.
The allegations on allotting alternate sites in upscale Mysore areas have also extended to other influential people and real estate agents, causing losses worth crores to the state exchequer. Officials of the MUDA have also been named in the scam.
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Activists Pradeep Kumar, TJ Abraham, and Snehamayi Krishna had requested Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for action against the chief minister, alleging multi-crore losses of public money.
