Says Centre has responded positively; BJP hits out at Kejriwal for ‘taking credit’

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that people living in 1,797 unauthorised colonies in the city will soon get ownership rights for their properties.

“Good news for people living in unauthorised colonies... Their dream of getting ownership rights will soon come true,” the Chief Minister said at a press conference on Thursday.

Mr. Kejriwal said that the Central government has given a positive response to Delhi government’s proposal on the same. But the proposal is yet to be approved by the Centre, according to the Chief Minister.

However, Delhi BJP Chief Manoj Tiwari said that the Centre was regularising the colonies and Mr. Kejriwal was trying to “take credit”.

Meanwhile, speaking at the press conference, Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain said that the colonies which had applied for regularisation before January 1, 2015, will be eligible as agreed by both the Central and Delhi governments.

The Chief Minister said that on November 2, 2015, the Delhi government passed a proposal in the Cabinet to regularise the unauthorised colonies and give ownership rights to people living in the colonies. On November 12, the proposal was sent to the Central government for approval.

“Yesterday [Wednesday] evening, the Centre gave a positive response on it. The Centre is ready to regularise the unauthorised colonies. We want to congratulate the Central government on behalf of the people of Delhi,” he said.

Mr. Kejriwal said that the Centre had asked a few questions on the proposal and the Delhi government will respond to it in the next three to four days. “And soon, the Centre will approve it [proposal],” he added.

The CM said, “Until now, all Central and state governments had betrayed the people living in unauthorised colonies. Before every election, they would promise regularisation, but would not fulfil their promise.”

Reacting to it, Mr. Tiwari said, “Mr. Kejriwal had deliberately withheld the work of demarcation for the last four-and-a-half years.”

Committee report

“When the Central government found that the intentions of the Kejriwal government is not to regularise these unauthorised colonies, the then Union Urban Development Ministry formed a committee under L-G to recommend the measures for regularising these colonies. The committee submitted its report to the Ministry within three months and the process of regularising these colonies has started at fast pace,” he added.

Mr. Tiwari said before the Assembly elections, the unauthorised colonies of Delhi will be regularised by the Centre and the occupants will get ownership rights. “This will be the greatest gift from the Centre to the people of Delhi,” he added.