MUMBAI, July 5: The Shiv Sena-BJP government in Maharashtra has realised that market forces can play havoc with its populist schemes. The fate of the much publicised plan to provide free houses to 40 lakh slum-dwellers hangs in balance as the scheme is not feasible in its present form.

``Since there is great recession in the real estate market, we will have to modify the scheme to generate additional resources for implemention,'' Chief Minister Manohar Joshi told mediapersons.

He admitted that the government was forced to concede that the free housing scheme was not a self-supporting venture, contrary to its earlier plans. ``I had a high-level meeting with new Housing Minister Sureshdada Jain and officials of the Housing Department and we are drafting a new strategy to generate funds for the scheme,'' he pointed out.

Joshi managed to reduce a review of the performance of his government to mere figures. He said the government had given 261 assurances in 1995 and 340 in 1996. Out of these, 179 (given in 1995) were fulfilled, while 68 were in different stages of completion and 14 could not be fulfilled, while out 340 given in the subsequent year, 192 have been fulfilled, 123 are in different stages and 25 could not be completed.

Referring to the proposal for a Marathi channel on television, Joshi said his government has decided to buy one hour during prime time from Doordarshan.

When his attention was drawn to the proposal of Mayor-in-Council, Joshi said his government was still undecided about implementing the proposal as now a fresh suggestion of having a president or a speaker for the corporations has been received by his government.

About the state government's move to introduce common civil code, Joshi said both the houses have already passed four legislations in this connection. ``Two of them are awaiting approval of the Governor, while the other two are pending with the President of India. I am personally looking into these legislations,'' Joshi added.

Replying to a question, Joshi said he will not transfer Pune Municipal Commissioner Ramnath Zha though there were complaints against him. ``Complaints against him have been made by former Railway Minister Suresh Kalmadi and a section of the Congress corporators from Pune.

However, veteran social worker Anna Hazare, prominent industrialists Arun Phirodia and Arun Kirloskar have written to me that Zha should not be transferred,'' Joshi pointed out.

About the controversial issue of disposal of surplus land, Joshi said his government is yet to take a decision. ``I had assured Textiles Minister R Jallappa that we will take a decision within a month. However, there was some delay as the meeting could not take place,'' he added.