NEW DELHI: Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal on Monday said the Centre will consider suggestions to set up an inquiry for non-allotment of around 48,000 flats constructed in the capital for the underprivileged individuals under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
Replying to a supplementary question during Question Hour in the Rajya Sabha, he said the flats were constructed in 2012 under the JNNURM scheme, with the support of both the Union and state governments.
Lal said he was “astonished” that these homes were not allotted to the poor by the then Delhi government under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He said the conditions of the remaining flats, nearly 48,000 units, have become worse, and some are not even liveable.
The minister was replying to a question by Rajya Sabha Member Swati Maliwal, who said that only 4,871 flats were allotted to the poor out of the total 52,344 flats constructed. Maliwal accused the then AAP government in Delhi of not allotting these flats because of vote bank politics, as it wanted to take credit. She asked the government whether it would initiate an inquiry to punish the guilty and also plans to repair these flats.
To this, Lal, “We will consider the suggestion that culprits get punishment.” Lal said the current Delhi government under BJP has come forward to repair these homes so that they could be allotted to the poor living in slums. Those homes which are not liveable would be inspected and thereafter demolished for reconstruction, the minister added.