The Hindu 19.07.2012
500 flats allotted to slum dwellers
Nearly 500 jhuggi dwellers from eight slum tenements on
Wednesday became proud owners of their dwelling units, at least on
paper, as they were presented with allotment letters to their houses at a
function at Delhi Secretariat. The Government has in this scheme for
the first time used biometrics to ensure that there was no duplication
in allotment and no sale of the flats that are meant for rehabilitation.
While
Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit handed over the allotment letters to 40
eligible beneficiaries, the rest were presented the allotment letters at
the function itself.
With this, the beneficiaries of
the scheme would now be able to move from their slum tenements to
“respectable address in well-developed housing complexes which are duly
connected with public transport system”, the Delhi Government said.
Under
the scheme, meant for rehabilitation of slum and jhuggi dwellers and
executed by Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board, the Delhi Government
is paying the contribution of the Scheduled Caste beneficiaries and so
the flats would be free of cost to them.
The scheme
has been implemented as per guidelines of Union Ministry of Housing and
Urban Poverty alleviation’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal
Mission.
Those who have been given allotment letters
would get to live in a housing complex at Bawana, where the Government
intends to take the Delhi Metro service under the third phase.
35,000 more flats
Speaking
about the scheme, Ms. Dikshit said under the first phase 500 allottees
have been handed over allotment letters. She said another 35,000 flats
for the EWS category are under construction at Narela, Bawana and Dwarka
and would be made ready for allotment at the earliest.
It
was also mentioned in the meeting that the Government has decided to
accelerate the pace of construction of the EWS house and to shift the
cut off date to March 31, 2007 so that more and more jhuggi dwellers
could benefit from it.
The Delhi Government has
prioritised 75 clusters for relocation and DUSIB has conducted a survey
of around 16,000 jhuggis in 33 clusters. The eligibility of around 1,350
jhuggi dwellers has been determined from 14 clusters.
It
said the jhuggi dwellers would be shifted to the new flats on
relocation of their clusters. The flats are being allotted in joint
names of husband and wife on lease hold basis for a period of 15 years
and would thereafter be converted to freehold.
As per
the terms, the beneficiaries would be required to only pay Rs.60,000
for a dwelling unit. However, the Government would provide 100 per cent
subsidy in case of SC allottees, for whom the flats would be free.
Urban
Development Minister A. K. Walia said the process of identification of
beneficiaries had been taken up carefully in order to ensure allotment
of flats to all eligible jhuggi dwellers. He said a comprehensive
socio-economic survey of all jhuggi clusters in Delhi is being conducted
to map the population and a strategy document is being prepared to make
Delhi a slum-free city.
To prevent duplication in
allotment, the Minister said biometric authentication of beneficiaries
was also being conducted. This, he said, would also prevent the practice
of sale of such flats that are meant for rehabilitation.
