Indian Express 06.01.2010
Civic body wants power to sell land under slum dept
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has approached the Union Home Ministry seeking power to dispose of properties of the Slum and JJ department to generate revenue by way of interest on income.
Mayor Kanwar Sain, accompanied by Leader of MCD House Subhash Arya and MCD Standing Committee chairperson R K Singhal, met Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday, asking him “to advice the Delhi government to empower the civic body to dispose of properties under the department”.
Sain said this way, the civic body can generate revenue that can be used by the department to provide better civic amenities in slum colonies.
“Many properties of this department are either lying unused or have been encroached upon across Delhi. The department cannot use them, transfer or sell them because it does not have that power. This has led to a major loss of income for the department,” Sain said. “If we are given the power to dispose of these properties, then the money generated can be put to good use.”
Following a Delhi government order in 2007, the Slum and JJ department was denied permission to sell properties under it. The MCD demanded the order be withdrawn to enable it to transfer ownership rights by way of long-term lease to people residing in slums and resettlement colonies. They further said the department should be made stronger and funded regularly besides being allowed to function under the civic body’s jurisdiction itself.
The MCD identified 11 such properties, in Raja Garden, Nand Nagri, Jwala Puri, Raghubir Nagar, Karampura and Bawana among others, that can fetch it Rs 2,000 crore collectively. “There are a number of plots that can be utilised commercially and help us earn revenue. The Home Minister has assured us that he will take up the matter with the Delhi government,” said Sain.
