The Hindu : New Delhi News : Revised development norms for SC/ST areas

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 17, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Revised development norms for SC/ST areas

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: In a significant decision aimed at speeding up development works in the Capital's Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe localities, the Delhi Cabinet on Tuesday approved revised guidelines paving the way for undertaking such works in areas having 33 per cent SC/ST population against the earlier limit of 50 per cent. An amount of Rs.22crores was also approved for various works during the current financial year.

The Cabinet, which met under the leadership of the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, approved the new guidelines in view of the information sought by the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, on the steps taken by the Delhi Government for the welfare of the SC/ST community in the Capital.

As per the new guidelines, any residential locality having SC/ST population of more than 33 per cent as per the 2001 census would be eligible for getting works done under this scheme.

Earlier, the residential localities were eligible only if the percentage of such population exceeded 50 per cent.Under this new scheme, the money would be used for repair, construction of common bathrooms and community latrines, repair and relaying of side drains and pavements and repair of kuccha roads, concrete flooring of approach roads and repair or construction of community centres.

All residential localities located on private land, in unauthorised colonies in extended Lal Dora resettlement colonies and colonies carved out under the 20-Point Programme would be covered under this scheme.

The issue had created a stir last year when a large amount of the funds earmarked for such areas went unutilised and in some cases it was even diverted for undertaking various other works in the general category.

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