Kejriwal thwarted PMAY in Delhi: Vijender Gupta

New Delhi, Apr 20 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta, on Saturday said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has deliberately thwarted the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in a planned and sustained manner over the last four years.
Addressing the mediapersons at Pradesh BJP office here, Mr Gupta said, 'The scheme is aimed at providing affordable housing to economically weaker sections of society including Delhi's Jhuggi Jhompri (JJ) dwellers. The poor dwellers of 675 JJ clusters have been denied the golden opportunity to have their own roof under the PMAY. The CM is acting out of political malice towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi and thereby, denying the golden opportunity provided by him for JJ dwellers of Delhi.'
'Under PMAY, the four lakh households living in JJ clusters of Delhi were to be provided financial assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh for each household,' said the LOP.
'Out of 675 JJ clusters, 478 clusters are built on the land of Central government and its bodies, whereas, 197 clusters are built on Delhi government’s land. As many as 1.5 lakh families are dwelling in JJ clusters built on Delhi Government land and 2.5 lakh families on the central government land. But unfortunately, Kejriwal did not let the poor households of Delhi to avail the opportunity. Out of sheer political ill-will, he did not let the central Government sponsored Ayushman Bharat, Delhi-Meerut rapid regional transport system, Metro Phase four to be implemented in Delhi despite their vast benefits to poor segment of the capital city,' he said.
Mr Gupta said Mr Kejriwal started obstructing the PMAY since the states were asked by the Centre to implement it in 2015.
'He sought one or the other excuse to defer it so that the credit does not go to Mr Modi. Initially he almost refused to implement it in Delhi, obviously out of political ill-will. Therefore, the scheme was kept in abeyance for almost one year. This is despite defect that the Delhi government’s Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) was appointed as the nodal agency,' he said.
'The Delhi Government delayed signing of MOU for implementation of the scheme. Later on, DUSIB, DDA and the central government signed MOU after some resistance from the Delhi Government. It was decided that the DUSIB will carry on survey of all JJ clusters in Delhi including those built on Central Government land. DDA made an advance payment to the tune of 50 per cent amounting to Rs 5,83,425,' he said.
'Despite receiving the advance payment, Delhi Government informed the state level sanctioning and monitoring committee for rehabilitation meeting on November 29, 2018 that the Delhi government has discontinued the survey because Delhi Government is considering change in nomenclature of the scheme. The move of Delhi Government was very surprising. It led to complete collapse of the scheme. Despite various requests from Central Government and DDA, Delhi Government did not start the survey work and the scheme fell flat on the ground,' Mr Gupta said.
Mr Gupta said that the non-cooperative attitude of Delhi Government is most unfortunate. It is sheer injustice to 4four lakh households dwelling in 675 JJ clusters. These clusters are built on land owned by DDA, railways, L&DO and CPWD.
The LOP informed that GNCTD’s DSIDC was to provide 34,260 flats in Narela, Bawana, Bhor Gar, Ghoga, Baprola etc. and DUSIB was to provide 18,084 houses in Dwarka, Sultanpuri, Jahangirpuri and Sawda Ghewra.
'NDMC was to provide 240 houses. All these, 52,584 houses were to be allotted by Delhi Government during the last six years. But these houses have not been allotted and are getting dilapidated. Anti-social elements are committing theft of doors, windows, fittings etc. Delhi Government had to year mark Rs 600 crore for their maintenance in vain,' he said.
Mr Gupta said that Aam Aadmi Party’s promise during the Lok Sabha election campaigning of providing affordable housing to every family in Delhi within 10 years is absolutely hollow.
'It's falsehood can be gauged from the fact that having come to power more than four years back on the promise of providing house to each JJ cluster family, it failed to construct even a single house for them. Not only this, it failed to allocate about 18000 built up flats to JJ cluster families.Thousands of poor families deposited huge amounts beyond their means by borrowing from the moneylenders in the hope of getting their own house.But today, they find themselves entangled in web of moneylenders.Such a political party which could neither build flats for poor people nor could allocate the built-up flats for JJ dwellers can be expected to meet its promise of providing house for everyone,' he said.
Mr Gupta charged that Kejriwal Government has done nothing to alleviate misery of poor JJ dwellers.