Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today sought more funds from the Centre for carrying out development works in unauthorised colonies and said the "paltry" tax share it receives currently was not sufficient.
Addressing 'Adhikar Rally' at Muslim-dominated Shri Ram Colony in North-East Delhi's Karawal Nagar, Kejriwal said the Aam Aadmi Party government has chalked out a plan to develop these colonies on six sectors - water, sewer, drains, roads, sanitation and street lights.
"We will provide all basic facilities in all unauthorised colonies. For this, we will need a lot of money and it is responsibility of both the Centre and the Delhi government to carry out development works in such colonies," he said.
The Chief Minister said Delhi gives Rs 65,000 crore in terms of taxes to the central government annually, but "in return, we get only Rs 325 crore".
"We will take up the issue with the Centre and demand that at least Rs 10,000 crore be given to us for development works in all unauthorised colonies. I want to assure you that if the Centre accepts our demand, I would spend all Rs 10,000 crore on development works," Kejriwal said.
Briefing about his government's recent decision to start registration of houses in unauthorised colonies, he said the AAP government has started the process to regularise all such colonies and no house and jhuggi will be demolished.
"The work of mapping four unauthorised colonies has begun and in the next one year, maps of 895 such colonies will be prepared. Our government has directed officials to start registering houses in those colonies where the work of mapping has been completed," he said.
Kejriwal said "we are moving towards" regularising all unauthorised colonies.
He also slammed the Congress and BJP for having treated the residents of unauthorised colonies as "vote banks".
"Whenever I used to meet the leaders of these parties, they used to say that if we fulfil all the promises at a go then what will we do next time," he alleged at the rally.
On AAP's key poll promise of not demolishing slums, Kejriwal said his government won't allow further demolition but requested the residents to prevent "new constructions" which he said will lead to further deterioration.
