Delhi houses approximately 1,797 unauthorised colonies. The timing of the decision is significant as Delhi is scheduled for assembly elections in a couple of months.
The regularisation of unauthorised colonies has been a major issue and often erupts before elections. While the BJP has blamed the Kejriwal-led AAP government for ignoring these settlements, the AAP has claimed that the Modi government intends to uproot them .
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In September, the Aam Aadmi Party had alleged that the BJP had made a false promise to the people of Delhi when it said the unauthorised colonies will be regularised in six months.
In June this year, the Delhi government had proposed a set of parameters to Centre to regularise 1,797 unauthorised colonies in the city. The Delhi government had also proposed to charge one per cent cost of land circle rate for up to 200 square metre plot from occupants and a nominal penalty, reported news agency IANS.
Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan had also then slammed the Kejriwal government for doing nothing to regularise these settlements.
" I thank PM Shri @narendramodi ji for the unprecedented decision to grant Cabinet approval to Regularisation of over 1700 Unauthorised Colonies Of Delhi. What a transformation it will bring in the lives of lakhs of our people! Kudos to our visionary leader!," he tweeted today.