Central Government Passes Proposal to Grant Ownership Rights to Unauthorised Colony Residents

New Delhi : Ahead of the Delhi Assembly polls next year, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal to grant ownership rights to the people living in unauthorised colonies in the city, a move that will benefit 40 to 50 lakh people.

Making the announcement, Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri said the Centre will move swiftly to execute the decision and bring a bill in the Winter Session of Parliament beginning November 18 to this effect. He also slammed the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government, accusing it of trying to “delay” the decision to grant people from low-income groups ownership rights.

Puri said the city government had sought time till 2021 to give the inputs sought from it for taking the decision and added that the Narendra Modi-led government decided to “take the initiative when it became clear that the Delhi government will do nothing”.

The decision is politically significant as it will benefit millions of poor migrants who hold key to the assembly election results and had backed the AAP in large numbers in the 2015 assembly polls. Delhi Assembly elections are due early next year.