Parsi Panchayat: Earning R 90,000 a month makes you poor

With the Planning Commission setting the minimum sustenance level required for poor in urban areas at Rs 29 per day, the Bombay Parsi Punchayet redefined poor Parsi as one who earns less than Rs 90,000 per month.
According to a report published in The Times of India, revising the eligibility criteria for the subsidised community apartment, BPP said that now Parsis earning less than Rs 90,000 per month will get apartments.

They had earlier fixed this amount at under Rs 50,000 a month.


The report states, an affidavit was filed by BPP chairman Dinshaw Mehta in response to a petition by Dahanu resident Rohinton Taraporewala, (65) challenging the non-allotment of a flat to him at Panthaki Baug, Andheri. Earlier, Taraporewala had submitted the names of those who were allotted flats despite earning above Rs 50,000 a month.

Mehta refuted Taraporewala's claim of being a "poor, needy and deserving Parsi". He said after the high court, on October 15, 2009, allowed BPP to sell flats on ownership basis, the trustees adopted criteria for allotment. Preference was to be given to those who want to settle down after marriage, the report said.

He said that the applicants with incomes exceeding Rs 90,000 per month or with assets of more than Rs 25 lakh were to be eliminated. It was also decided to give low priority to applicants residing outside Mumbai, he added.

Taraporewala's application showed that he owns 17 acres land in Vangaon, Dahanu, along with a farmhouse-a two-storeyed bungalow- measuring 2,000 square feet. Further, as per his income-tax returns, Taraporewala had a monthly income exceeding Rs 90,000. His assets include his various immovable properties and fixed deposits amounting to well over Rs 25 lakh. On the basis of his financial status he was not entitled to be allotted a flat at Panthaki Baug, the report stated.

The affidavit states that the BPP flats at Panthaki Baug, each of which is between 732 sq ft and 760 sq ft, will cost between Rs 17.56 lakh and Rs 20.52 lakh depending on their size and location. The current market value of each is approximately Rs 80 lakh. The flats are being sold at prices prevailing in 2001 and cost one-fourth of their market value today, the report said.