Slum dwellers from SC and ST can now get flats free in Delhi

A Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit decided to waive Delhi Government's share of Rs 60,000 for each dwelling unit if an SC or ST family gets a flat built under Rajiv Ratan Awas Yojna.

"The Delhi SC and ST Commission will pay the amount on behalf of the families from these two categories. The Central government and the land owning agency will also make their contribution," Dikshit said adding the SC and ST families will get the flats almost free.

Dikshit said Delhi Government will start allotment process of nearly 5,000 low-cost flats to slum dwellers by next month and out of the total allotees, SC and ST beneficiaries will not have to make any contribution to the government.

The Chief Minister said the government will start allotment of around 7,000 flats by December.

Officials said government will shift select slum clusters to the newly built flats and if there was any SC and ST families in the selected slum cluster, then they will get the flats free of cost.

The government had earlier decided to begin the process of relocation of 33 slums by allocating low-cost houses to eligible families as construction of 9,660 flats have been completed and another 5,168 are nearing completion.