Supreme Court frowns upon tardy roll-out of shelter scheme

As temperatures dipped in the National Capital, the Supreme Court on Friday criticised the government for not implementing the scheme to provide shelter to the urban homeless.

The Social Justice Bench of Justices Madan B. Lokur and U.U. Lalit asked the government where the money for the scheme had gone.

It said merely setting up committees will not translate into effective implementation of the scheme.

“Setting up of the committee doesn't mean you are done. The entire leadership is not interested... You pass the buck to the Secretaries and Chief Secretaries. How will it work? You are giving money but it is not being spent. Where has the money gone?” the court asked.

The Bench asked the Union Urban Development Ministry Secretary to appear before it on January 8.

The court was looking into the progress made by the government in implementing the National Urban Livelihood Mission (NULM).

Government serious

Additional Solicitor-General Pinky Anand said the government was acting on the shelter scheme with the “utmost seriousness.”