Around 10 L people will benefit from housing scheme: Hardeep Puri

New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) Days before the December 4 MCD polls, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Wednesday launched a housing scheme that is expected to benefit around 10 lakh people.

Addressing the media, Minister Hardeep Puri said, "There would be 10 lakh beneficiaries for those without homes. PM Uday for regularisation of unauthorised colonies will benefit about 50 lakh people. Of the 2 crore population, 1.35 crore people will benefit from our re-development plan".

"People living in unauthorised colonies to get pucca houses, he added.

He further informed, "Census 2011 indicated Delhi's population as 1.6 crore. Now it is the most populous urban agglomeration in the world (second only to Tokyo) with around 2 crore citizens. Delhi's population in 2041 is estimated as 2.92 crore. Being the capital city of the world's fifth largest economy, Delhi is like a dynamic growing organism. 'Sabka Vikas' in the city is being assured by ensuring urban development through various mechanisms".

Talking about the master plan which is on the final stage, the Minister said, "Master Plan 2041, which is in final stages now, is going to be a visionary document to usher in a new era of development of Delhi. It will have policies for regeneration of existing colonies and development, greenfield development through Land Pooling and Green Development Area policy and build modern infrastructure in Delhi.

"Urban Transport is the backbone to city infrastructure, therefore, public transport connecting various parts of the city along with walkability and cycling provisions are the enabling provisions in the forthcoming Master Plan of Delhi 2041"

The BJP government has also taken steps to improve the living conditions of jhuggi dwellers as per the guidelines of PMAY (Urban). In Delhi, there are 675 clusters, of which 376 clusters (comprising 1.72 lakh households) are on DDA and Central government lands, he added.

Providing an update on DDA survey, the minister said that the DDA has completed a survey of 210 clusters, wherein application forms of the dwellers have been taken through digital mode. The survey work of the remaining 166 will commence immediately after municipal elections and will be completed by March 2023.

Coming down heavily on the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, he said, "There are 299 JJ clusters where the responsibility for rehabilitation has been cast on Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), which falls under Delhi government. Unfortunately, no work has been carried out till date."