Arvind Kejriwal Promises Housing To Slum Dwellers In Delhi

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, "We will make kuchcha houses pukka".

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal promised to proper housing to people living in shanties, saying he got the Central clearance for it today. The announcement came minutes after the Narendra Modi government's mega promise to give ownership rights to 40 lakh people living in the unauthorised colonies of Delhi.

"We will make kuchcha colonies pukka (build permanent housing in slum areas)," said Mr Kejriwal, adding that his government had submitted a proposal to the Centre on this issue on July 24. "The Centre today accepted our proposal," he added.

Assembly elections will be held in Delhi early next year, in which Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party is seeking a second term and the BJP is trying to capture power. Regularising unauthorised colonies being the Centre's prerogative, it had always involved a blame game at election times.

Mr Kejriwal today reminded the people that his government has worked to improve living conditions at unauthorised colonies without waiting for the Centre to make them legal. The Delhi government, he said, had finished considerable work in the slum areas, investing Rs 6,000 crore to build drains and sewers and provide clean drinking water.  

"We didn't wait for all this colonies to be legal. It was inhuman conditions they lived in," he said, "It was a long struggle for everyone, the people and the government".

The Chief Minister, who has been at loggerheads with the BJP-led Centre over the last five years, said he welcomed the cabinet's decision to give ownership rights to people living in unauthorised colonies. "This has been an old demand of the people of Delhi... I would like to thank Central government on the behalf of the people," he said.

But there was a caveat. "What follows next - we will know in a few days. Only when people get registry, we will know this is for real. Else the people will think this is another poll gimmick," he added.

Union ministers Hardeep Puri and  Ravi Shankar Prasad, who announced the government's decision in this regard, denied that it is linked to the elections. "This is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's thinking, that we can do this. This is not politics...they will get parks, electricity and a sewer system," Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

There was also a dig at the Congress and AAP that have been ruling Delhi. "Since 2008, the Delhi government has not done anything. This government would have taken till 2021," said Mr Puri, the housing minister.

Under the government's decision people living in 1,800 colonies of the national capital, will get ownership rights. They will be able to take loans to construct homes in these colonies. The Centre will bring a Bill in parliament during the winter session to enable the step, the ministers said.