Delhi govt to extend rehabilitation benefits to all eligible JJ cluster residents settled till Jan 1, 2025: CM Rekha Gupta
New Delhi, June 23
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Tuesday announced that residents of all eligible slum clusters established in the national capital up to January 1, 2025, will be entitled to rehabilitation benefits, a move she said would pave the way for permanent housing for around 4-5 lakh families.
The decision was taken at the 36th Board Meeting of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), chaired by the Chief Minister at the Delhi Secretariat. According to the Chief Minister's Office, nearly 20 lakh people living in JJ clusters across Delhi are expected to benefit from the decision.
Calling it a major step towards providing permanent housing to slum residents, CM Gupta said the decision aligns with the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and follows discussions held during a recent high-level review meeting chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, as well as the provisions of the Delhi Slum and JJ Cluster Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy 2026.
"Providing every citizen of Delhi with dignified living conditions and permanent housing remains one of the government's highest priorities," the Chief Minister said.
"The government is working swiftly to rehabilitate slum residents in line with the spirit of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas' and the commitment of 'Har Gareeb Ko Pakka Ghar," CM Rekha Gupta said, adding that the decision is not merely about providing houses but is an important step towards ensuring a safe, dignified and better life for lakhs of families.
She noted that many families were previously unable to avail rehabilitation benefits because of the earlier eligibility cut-off date. With the revised cut-off, a larger number of families would now become eligible for rehabilitation under the scheme.
According to the Chief Minister, eligible beneficiaries will be provided with multi-storey flats equipped with essential civic amenities. She said the government would seek, as far as possible, to rehabilitate eligible families within or near their existing settlements in line with the commitment of "Jahan Jhuggi, Wahan Makaan."
The meeting was attended by Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood, Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma and senior officials from concerned departments.
Rekha Gupta further said the rehabilitation initiative would extend beyond housing and include the creation of social and civic infrastructure in new rehabilitation colonies. These facilities would include Anganwadi centres, schools, health centres, children's playgrounds and other basic amenities.
She also said a provision was being considered under the policy to include family members living in separate units on different floors within a slum structure under the rehabilitation framework, subject to payment of prescribed additional charges.
CM Gupta further said the Delhi Government would undertake the rehabilitation programme in mission mode through the PPP model to ensure that eligible families receive safe, dignified and improved housing.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I appreciate the intent, but 4-5 lakh families is a massive number. The previous cut-off dates always left many people out, so extending to 2025 is welcome. My concern is whether the PPP model will work effectively - private builders might cut corners. Also, the provision for separate units on different floors within one structure is good, but the 'additional charges' could be a burden for poor families. Still, a step in the right direction.
Impressive scale of planning - 20 lakh beneficiaries! I've worked in urban development in India before, and the challenge of rehabilitating slum clusters is enormous. The inclusion of social infrastructure like Anganwadi centres, schools, and playgrounds shows holistic thinking. Hope the implementation matches the ambition. Delhi could set a template for other cities.
A good policy on paper, but what about the existing residents near these JJ clusters? We've seen how rehabilitation colonies sometimes create new problems - overcrowding, increased traffic, strain on local infrastructure. Also, the cut-off date of Jan 1, 2025 might encourage new encroachments. Need strict monitoring to prevent misuse. Ultimately, if it helps 4-5 lakh families get pucca houses, it's worth supporting.
The mention of PM Modi's vision and Home Minister Shah's review suggests this is a well-coordinated effort between Centre and state. The timeline of 2026 policy is ambitious but necessary given Delhi's housing crisis. I'm curious about the 'additional charges' for separate units - hope they're nominal and not exclusionary. Also, the PPP model must have strong accountability mechanisms. Overall, a significant policy shift.
N Nisha Z