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Slum Development / Housing

Info centre for slum dwellers inaugurated

Friday, 03 December 2010 06:18 administrator
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The Deccan Herald  03.12.2010

Info centre for slum dwellers inaugurated

Bangalore, Dec 2 (PTI)

An information centre was today inaugurated in a slum settlement here to provide information on various social welfare schemes and other entitlements introduced by the civic authority.

The info centre is an initiative of "Daksha Samuha", women forum, under the aegis of Centre for Advocacy and Research.

``An information centre in the midst of a slum settlement is unheard of. I sincerely hope that this will be useful for residents of not only Sanjay Gandhi Nagar but also of the adjoining settlements,” said Justice V V Angadi, Member Secretary, Karnataka State Legal Services Authority, after inaugurating the information centre.

``Now they can avail various social welfare schemes and social entitlements introduced by BBMP and other departments for the underprivileged that remain un-accessed owing to lack of information,’’ he added.

Dr Vasanthi, Assistant Commissioner, Karnataka Slum Clearance Board, said: “Opening of the information centre will be successful only if more and more people use the centre.”
'Opening of the centre is an attempt to ensure that all government schemes are availed by the most vulnerable amongst us”, a member of the forum said.

Shahtaj, member of Daksha Samuha and a resident of another slum, Hawadiagar Colony, also participated along with 100 other women from the nearby areas, “We never had such information centres in slum areas earlier. The government has opened Nemmadi Kendras where most of us cannot go as we lack the money. Since this centre is located within our slum areas and run by women like us, it will not only be accessible but also comfortable for us to approach,” she said.

Last Updated on Friday, 03 December 2010 06:20
 

Parts of slum-occupied land belong to private owners

Thursday, 02 December 2010 11:35 administrator
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Hindustan Times  02.12.2010

Parts of slum-occupied land belong to private owners

The Mumbai airport’s expansion plan has to steer past a new hurdle. Three years after the plan to expand the airport on land occupied by slums adjoining the airfield, the airport management has now found out that some patches of the land belong to private owners. Under the state government’s policy, only slumdwellers living in hutments built prior to 2000 are eligible to rehabilitation. Former chief minister Ashok Chavan, in August, had set a November deadline to relocate at least 20,000 families. But officials from the collector’s office, who are conducting a door-to-door survey to check the eligibility of slumdwellers for the rehabilitation package, have to skip the houses on private land.

On Tuesday, the suburban collector Nirmal Deshmukh discussed the issue with the airport operator, Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL), the Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited (HDIL) and the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority.

The delay will push MIAL’s plans to build taxiways and aircraft hangers on the 276 acres of land. The space crunch at the airport has hindered smooth operations and resulted in the airport losing permission to operate 12 domestic flights daily in the winter schedule. “We have almost completed the first step of the survey. There are four more steps to go,” said Deshmukh. He did not mention a timeline to finish the survey work.

The survey is being conducted at a snail’s pace because of frequent opposition from slumdwellers. On November 25, the Saki Naka police lathi-charged a mob at the Jarimari slums near Kurla when residents refused to cooperate with survey workers. Slumdwellers alleged that survey workers were goons sent by senior a Congress leader.

Also, the 20,000 tenements constructed at Kurla by HDIL to relocate the slumdwellers are not ready for use. Elevators, water supply and sewage facilities were fixed only recently. “The approach road is not ready. According to the plan approved by the Slum Rehabilitation Authority, they have to build schools, hospitals and religious spots before shifting people there,” said an official from the collector’s office, on condition of anonymity. MIAL refused to comment on the repercussions of the delay, while the HDIL spokesperson was unavailable for comments.

Last Updated on Thursday, 02 December 2010 11:36
 

CHB bags best city award under JNNURM

Thursday, 02 December 2010 10:18 administrator
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Indian Express            02.12.2010

CHB bags best city award under JNNURM

Express News Service Tags : Chandigarh Housing Board, Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission Posted: Thu Dec 02 2010, 02:12 hrs

Chandigarh:  The Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) got another feather in its cap by bagging the “Best City” award from the Government of India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation. Chandigarh has been awarded for being the best city in the implementation of the planned habitat for urban poor under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

In this regard, Chandigarh Housing Board Chairman shall be receiving the award on December 3, in New Delhi, at a conference-cum-function organised by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation. Various stakeholders of JNNURM including state government officials would be participating in the event. Union Finance Minister shall be the chief guest on the occasion. A letter, informing the Chandigarh Housing Board, about it bagging the award, was sent to the CHB by the Government of India, yesterday.

CHB is constructing around 25,728 houses under the JNNURM scheme and is also the nodal agency for the implementation of slum-rehabilitation project. The construction is presently on in around 12,000 flats. The scheme of Chandigarh Small Houses Scheme, 2006 was conceptualised by the Chandigarh Housing Board, under which people, who didn’t have accommodations to live and were encroaching upon government land were rehabilitated on license-fee basis. The scheme had a unique feature, whereby which if an allottee shows good behaviour for 20 years, he becomes the owner of the said accommodation. Government of India had also sanctioned around Rs. 396 crores for the implementation of this project.

When asked, CHB Chairman, Mohanjeet Singh, said, “It is amongst the series of awards, bagged by Chandigarh Housing Board. Last year also, CHB bagged the Prime Minister’s trophy and Rs. 3 lakhs award for implementation of slum-rehabilitation in Chandigarh. This year also, our efforts are recognised and we have bagged the award.”

Last Updated on Thursday, 02 December 2010 10:21
 
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