NEW DELHI: The Delhi Government would rehabilitate poor people living in slum clusters by constructing multi-storeyed houses and for this purpose a new scheme titled "Financial Assistance to Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies'' had been launched, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit announced on Saturday.

Launching a new "Sanjha Prayas'' initiative under the Bhagidari scheme to provide hygienic atmosphere in Delhi's slum clusters, Ms. Dikshit said four cooperative societies of slum dwellers had been registered for taking up housing projects and other activities. She said 100 acres of land had been identified in North-West Delhi for allotment to these societies.

Under the scheme, four-storey blocks will be constructed by these societies for their members with financial as well as managerial support from the Government and non-government organisations. The Delhi Government has decided to avail itself of the financial support from Centre under the JNNURM for construction of more than 26,000 flats at selected sites for which detailed project reports had been prepared by the Delhi State Infrastructure and Industrial Development Corporation and the Delhi Development Authority and Slum Wing of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Chief Minister said.

Ms. Dikshit said her Government had created a special development fund of more than Rs. 2,800 crore for unauthorised colonies to provide them with all civic amenities like roads, drains, water supply, sewerage, parks, community centres, health and educational infrastructure. A board for development works in unauthorised colonies, which have been regularised, will also be set up to monitor the progress of schemes so that all civic services are provided in a targeted manner in these colonies.

During the meeting that was also attended by Development Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan and East Delhi MP Sandeep Dikshit, major issues like shortage of water, public utilities, installation of electricity meters and street lighting were discussed. Ms. Dikshit also assured the participants who demanded a decrease in power tariff, especially for the slum clusters, that the Delhi Government would consider their demand.

Mr. Chauhan announced that above-poverty-line ration- card holders living in jhuggi-jhompri clusters and resettlement colonies would soon get more wheat and rice. He said while the quantity of wheat would be increased from 10 kg to 25 kg, that of rice would go up from 5 kg to 10 kg. A decision on reopening the process of issuing ration cards would also be taken up by the Cabinet, he added.

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