 "Cong promises 'right to shelter' for poor to woo voters in Delhi")
After his road show in the slum clusters of Kalkaji on Tuesday, party vice-president Rahul Gandhi had announced the promise.
Congress’ campaign committee chief Ajay Maken said, “This will not only give slum dwellers free housing but they will also get a legal document of entitlement giving them free-hold rights. It will also pave their way towards financial inclusion.”
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The Congress has promised that if voted to power, it shall bring in this law within one year in office.
The party promised that unlike in the past, when rehabilitation of slum dwellers was only in colonies located far away from the city, causing loss of livelihood to the residents, this time, there will be “in-situ development” of slums.In cases of high-density slums, the resettlement would not be more than five km from the site.
On the costs entailed, Maken said while slum dwellers would be given housing free of charge, the government could reap commercial benefits from the remaining land after it had been cleared of slums and flats or multi-storied housing developed for the poor.
In keeping with its earlier list of freebies, which included cheaper electricity and water, and free sewerage connections, the party hopes this will prove a game changer, in a scenario already billed as contest between the Aam Aadmi Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party.