Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Guptaon Monday marked her first Republic Dayafter taking charge by approving projects worth Rs 327 crore for the development of slum clusters across Delhi at her official residence.
As part of the programme, the Chief Minister invited BJPrepresentatives from slums and jhuggi jhopri (JJ) clusters to her residence for lunch. She also inaugurated several basic infrastructure projects meant for these areas.
Under public convenience complexes, administrative approval of Rs 225 crore has been granted for a total of 476 works. Out of these, awards amounting to Rs 81 crore have already been issued for 214 works, according to a statement from the Delhi Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Focus on infrastructure, food and healthcare facilities
The approved projects include public convenience complexes and cement concrete (CC) works in the narrow lanes of JJ clusters. Other initiatives include Atal Canteens and Ayushman Arogya Mandirs to improve access to food and healthcare, PTI reported citing officials.
“The Chief Minister also shared lunch with the JJ cluster representatives and said that the Delhi Government is working with full commitment to improving the living standards of citizens residing in JJ clusters,” the CMO said in a statement.
The event was attended by Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) CEO Rupesh Thakur, and several other dignitaries.
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While addressing the gathering, Gupta said her government is fully dedicated to improving the lives of slum residents. She alleged that the previous AAP-led government treated JJ residents only as a vote bank and often kept them in a state of fear.
Allegations against previous AAP govt
Taking a sharper dig, she claimed that former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal lived in a luxurious ‘sheesh mahal’ worth crores, while slum dwellers were left without basic facilities such as electricity, sewer lines, and water pipelines.
“The present government considers the struggles of the people as its own and remains devoted to serving them day and night because the people in JJ clusters have played a significant role in Delhi’s development. The government’s objective is to ensure that the benefits of development reach the last mile,” Gupta said while speaking at the event.
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She added that the BJP government has set aside a budget of Rs 700 crore for JJ cluster development. This funding is being used to speed up work related to basic facilities, housing, healthcare, sanitation, and social welfare.
“A comprehensive plan has been prepared to ensure essential works such as drains, roads, toilets, parks and settlement development centres in JJ areas, to free residents from inhumane living conditions. These works have been prioritised and are being implemented at a rapid pace,” Gupta said. |
