BHUBANESWAR: With the successful implementation of the standard operating procedure (SOP) for the upgradation of slums under Dhenkanal municipality under Jaga Mission, the State government on Monday asked the Housing and Urban Development department and district collectors to complete upgradation of all the identified slums by end of this year.
Chief Secretary Suresh Mahapatra gave the task to the department while addressing a workshop on ‘Diversion of forest land for the creation of basic infrastructure in slums under Jaga Mission’. “The SOP worked out through a joint venture of Forest and Urban Development departments was piloted in the Dhenkanal municipality and the result was a total success,” said Director Municipal Administration Sangramjeet Nayak.
He said as per urban slum household areas (USHA) survey, 253 slums spread across 45 ULBs in 22 districts were found to be in urban forest land. This is creating problems for the settlement of land rights for slum dwellers and laying of infrastructure for basic amenities.