BJP promises flats, cheap power, ration cards to slum dwellers

Delhi BJP today promised flats, cheap electricity and ration cards to 30 lakh slum dwellers if it is voted to power in the upcoming Assembly election.

The party came out with a 'Vision Document' for welfare of those living in slums, while accusing Sheila Dikshit dispensation of doing nothing for them in the last 15 years.

"Congress government has been cheating the slum dwellers for the past 15 years. They announce many schemes ahead of polls but they are not implemented, when they come to power. Take the example of Rajiv Ratan Awas Yojna, providing ration cards or Antyodya Yojna," Delhi BJP President Vijay Goel said after releasing the document along with BJP National General Secretary Dharmendra Pardhan.

He said if BJP is voted to power, then its priority would be to build and provide flats to slum dwellers at the place where they are living at present.

The flats would be constructed on public private partnership, like its being done in Mumbai.

There are around 30 lakh slum dwellers living in 685 clusters and 4.18 lakh jhuggis in Delhi.

"Priority would be given in allotment of flats to those who have applied for one under Rajiv Ratan Awas Yojna," Goel said, adding, the government would begin issuing ration cards, which had been put on hold by Sheila Dikshit government for last eight years.
Apart from it, BJP government would also be providing BPL cards to them so that they can get not only rice and wheat but also pulses and edible oil at cheap rate.

Around 16 lakh people, with an income of Rs one lakh per annum, are unable to get subsidised grains as their ration cards are not stamped, he claimed.

"All those living in slums would be given a free LPG gas connection with stove and BJP government would ensure that those unable to buy a 14 kg cylinder get a four kg LPG cylinder at government rates. As Congress government had made the city kerosene free but failed to provide gas connection to them," Goel said.

Slamming Dikshit government over hike in power tariff, he said when BJP leader Shahib Singh Verma was chief minister, he had provided electricity connections to houses in slum clusters at the rate of Rs 15 per connection but now a poor man has to shell out Rs 600 to Rs 1000