Centre took action on unauthorised colonies as Delhi govt

The central government has taken a decision to provide ownership rights to 40 lakh people living in unauthorised colonies in Delhi due to poor living conditions there, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.

"Land and colonisation are state subjects, maintenance of data on poverty and slums is a state subject. Therefore, the Delhi government is answerable, but the Delhi government has chosen not to. Therefore, we have taken the action," he said.

Replying to supplementaries during the Question Hour, the Housing and Urban Development Minister said out of Delhi's population of two crore, 40 to 50 lakh people live in unauthorised colonies.

 

"The conditions there are really crying out for attention and the government has responded by giving 'malkana haq' to these 40-50 lakh people," he said

Another 10 lakh people are living in JJ Clusters in Delhi, and the government is providing 'Jahan jhuggi wahin makaan' as part of a conscious policy, he said

Families living in slums in Delhi, Mumbai and other cities having million plus population are rehabilitated under In-Situ Slum Redevelopment components of urban housing schemes, Puri said in his written reply.

So far, 7,31,844 and 6,45,961 houses have been completed and delivered in the two cities respectively to slum dwellers, he said.

He said 'Land' and 'Colonisation' are State subjects and it is the responsibility of the State/Union Territory (UT) Governments to collect data, frame policies and implement schemes for rehabilitation of families living in slum areas and unauthorised localities.

"However, the Government of India through its programmatic intervention has been assisting States/UTs both technically and financially to address their housing shortages.

"In pursuance to Government of Indias vision of facilitating Housing for All by 2022, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA) has been implementing Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana - Urban (PMAY-U) Mission since June 2015 to provide Central Assistance to States/UTs for providing all weather pucca houses with basic civic amenities to all eligible urban households including slum dwellers under In- Situ Slum Rehabilitation component of PMAY-U Mission," the minister said.