Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced time-bound regularisation of all unauthorised colonies in the Capital while assuring those living in the slum that they would shortly get permanent housing facility.
Mr. Kejriwal said as many as 495 such colonies would be regularised in a year.
Addressing an “Adhikar Rally” at North-East Delhi’s Karwal Nagar, Mr. Kejriwal said sanctioning of maps in four unauthorised colonies had started and their residents would soon get registration rights.
He asked the people not to allow new constructions or formation of jhuggis in their neighbourhood, saying it would lead to deterioration of urban environment.
Mr. Kejriwal also promised that there would be no scarcity of water in any area of Delhi during this year’s summer as the Delhi Jal Board had surveyed all regions and chalked out a comprehensive plan for supply of water tankers wherever needed. Reminding the people of the promises made by the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in its election manifesto, Mr. Kejriwal said the government had fulfilled the promises of reducing electricity bills by half, providing 20,000 litres of free water to every household, issuing licences to e-rickshaws drivers and launching an anti-corruption helpline to make the Capital corruption-free.
The Chief Minister said the Delhi Government had formulated a new plan to keep in check the prices of potatoes and onions, which were essential items, during the coming summer months.
Mr. Kejriwal accused the Centre of releasing insufficient funds for the Capital’s development, while affirming that the people of Delhi were paying Rs.65,000 crore annually in the form of taxes to the Union Government.
“In return, we get a paltry sum of Rs.325 crore a year. If we get Rs.10,000 crore annually, we will utilise the money for development of unauthorised colonies.”
The Delhi Government had identified six issues, namely water, sewerage, drains, roads, street lights and cleanliness of colonies as priority areas of infrastructure development, said the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister called upon the people not to fall prey to “conspiracies” being hatched to destabilise his government and slammed the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress governments for treating the residents of unauthorised colonies as “vote banks”.
“Several leaders of these parties have told me that if they fulfil all promises made to the people, there would be nothing left for the next elections,” said Mr. Kejriwal.
