The Delhi Cabinet in its meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday approved the Delhi Slum and JJ Relocation and Rehabilitation Policy, 2015.
This policy was earlier approved by Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) in its 16th meeting held on April 11.
The salient features of the policy include the provisions of the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws(Special Provisions) Act, 2011, an Act of the Government of India, that Jhuggi Jhopri bastis which have come up before January 1, 2006 shall not be demolished without providing alternative accommodation, have been incorporated in the proposed Policy Guidelines.
The cut-off date for eligibility of existence alternative accommodation to Slum and Jhuggi Jhopri dweller has been revised from June 4, 2009 to January 1, 2015 but Jhuggi Jhopri Basti must be in existence prior to January 1, 2006.
The thrust of the policy is in-situ rehabilitation, using land as a resource and relocation will be resorted only as an exception. The para four of the guidelines of Pradhan Manti Awas Yojana, Housing for all(Urban), issued by the Ministry of Housing and Poverty Alleviation, Govt. of India, and para 4.2.3.1 of the Master Plan of Delhi-2021, also provide for utilization of land as a resource for relocation/ rehabilitation of Slum and Jhugi Jhopri bastis.
Attempt will be made to rehabilitate the eligible Jhuggi Jhopri dwellers at the same location or a nearby location within a radius of five kilometer.
No new jhuggi shall be allowed in Delhi after January 1, 2015.
The name of the Jhuggi Jhopri dweller must exist in at least one of the electoral rolls (voters list) of 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and also in the year of survey, for the purpose of rehabilitation.
Electricity bill has been added in the list of documents which were considered for the purpose of proof of residence.
DUSIB will function as the nodal agency and will rehabilitate the eligible JJ dwellers before removal of Jhuggies as per this policy.
This policy will go a long way in improving the quality of life of slum dwellers living in JJ bastis.
This policy will uniformly apply for all the JJ bastis in Delhi.
