Rs500 crore released for works in unauthorised colonies: AAP govt

New Delhi:

The Delhi government on Friday said it has released Rs 500 crore for development in 1,797 unauthorised colonies.

The move came a day after chief minister Arvind Kejriwal announced that residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi will soon get ownership rights of their houses and claimed that the Centre has agreed to the Aam Aadmi Party government’s proposal.

On Friday, the government, in a statement, said the urban development department has released Rs 500 to the irrigation and flood control department following a direction from the chief minister. “The total budget allocation for the development works in unauthorised colonies in the current financial year is Rs 1,500 crores. Out of the total budget, Rs 700 crores (including Rs 500) have now been released to irrigation and flood control department for the development works to be carried out,” it said.

The government said work on developing sewers, drains, roads and lanes is going on a “war footing” in unauthorised colonies, adding that water distribution lines are being laid by the Delhi Jal Board.

It also alleged that the BJP-led municipal corporations still do not allow their councillors to spend funds in unauthorised colonies.

“Before 2015, neither MCD (municipal) councillors nor MLALAD funds could be spent on the development works in unauthorised colonies. The Kejriwal government amended the MLALAD guidelines to allow the elected representatives to spend their funds in these colonies. However, municipal councillors still cannot do so,” the government said.

On Thursday, Kejriwal announced that the Centre’s approval to regularise unauthorised colonies will be received “very soon”. A proposal for regularisation of unauthorised colonies and ownership rights to its residents was passed by the Delhi Cabinet on November 2, 2015. A letter in this regard was sent to the Centre on November 12 that year.

Kamaljeet Sehrawat, leader of the House, South MCD, said the Delhi government’s claims are not true. “They (Delhi govt) does not give funds for planned works and authorised colonies only. They also slashed our funds by about ₹800 crore,” she said.

First Published:
Jul 19, 2019 23:35 IST

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