The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh, distributed keys of newly-built flats to slum dwellers here on Saturday.
Dr. Singh, who handed over documents to the beneficiaries in Dhanas area of the Union Territory under the slum rehabilitation scheme of JNNURM, said that the aim for such initiatives is to work towards a slum-free India.
"Our government has under the rehabilitation initiative, aimed for a slum-free India. Our goal is to provide houses to the needy, who are currently living in slums so that they can live a comfortable life," said Dr. Singh.
"Under this scheme, the Central Government in the coming four years aims to provide 10 lakh houses for poor people living in urban India," he added.
Dr. Singh further said that rapid urbanisation was putting pressure on urban centres.
Under the scheme, a total of 8,448 flats ware expected to be handed over to slum dwellers.
The flats built under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewable Mission (JNNURM) by the Chandigarh Housing Board are expected to accommodate over 40,000 people.
