Additional funds for night shelters

Family night shelters will soon be started to accommodate members of one family at one place, Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung announced on Wednesday while releasing an additional Rs 5 crore for increasing facilities at the shelters.

Jung said many officials who took rounds of the night shelters got the feedback that members of one homeless family would want to spend the night together.

“Based on the information received, family night shelters will start in locations where there are homeless families staying,” said Jung, while ordering that each homeless coming to a night shelter be now allotted two blankets to fight the chill in the night.

Earlier, each individual was not given more than one blanket at a night shelter.

Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) officials told the Lieutenant Governor that they have added one more night shelter and will add two more porta cabins, taking the total strength of night shelters in the city to 224.

The cleaning staff has been doubled at night shelters and action has also been taken against NGOs who have been found lacking, they said.