Centre mulls inquiry into Delhi flat allotment under JNNURM: Manohar Lal

Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal on Monday said the Centre will consider a suggestion to set up an inquiry for non-allotment of around 48,000 flats constructed in the national capital for the poor under Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

Replying to a supplementary during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said flats in Delhi were constructed in 2012 under the JNNURM scheme, with the support of both the central and state government.

Lal said he was "astonished" that these homes were not allotted to the poor by the then Delhi government under Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

 

He said the conditions of the remaining flats, nearly 48,000 units, have become worse and some are not even livable.

The minister was replying to a question by Rajya Sabha Member Swati Maliwal, who said that only 4,871 flats were allotted to the poor out of the total 52,344 flats constructed.

Maliwal accused the then AAP government in Delhi for not allotting these flats because of vote bank politics as it wanted to take credit.

She asked the government whether it would initiate an inquiry to punish the guilty and also plans to repair these flats.

To this, the minister said, "we will consider the suggestion (of the member) that culprits get punishment".

Lal said the current Delhi government under BJP has come forward to repair these homes so that it could be allotted to the poor who are living in slums.

Those homes which are not livable would be inspected and thereafter demolished for reconstruction, the minister added.