Thaindian News

New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) The 2010 Commonwealth Games will be a boon for slumdwellers here as both the central and state governments are planning to provide them with better homes ahead of the event, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation Minister Kumari Selja said here Saturday.
“The Commonwealth Games will act as a boon for poor people. Both the Delhi government and the ministry will do whatever we can in planning and providing funds to ensure that they have better houses,” Selja told reporters when asked whether slumdwellers would be hidden during the Games like China did during the Olympics.

“We are with them (slum dwellers),” she said.

She hoped the Delhi government would take advantage of schemes to provide dwellings for the urban poor in the wake of the Commonwealth Games slated for October next year. It is expected that over 100,000 visitors will be coming to the national capital during the Games.

The Delhi Development Authority, which takes care of the housing needs of people of the national capital, has pledged 30 percent of housing complexes for the urban poor in their 2021 master plan. Selja explained how some cities are planning ahead for the urban poor.

Listing the achievements of her ministry in the last 100 days, Selja said they wanted to plan in such a manner that there was no future growth of slums in India. “We want a slum free India,” she added.

Selja, who also holds the tourism ministry portfolio, said it has been seen that some states just remove the slums and construct houses for them in such far off locations that commuting becomes difficult.

“Merely removing jhuggis is no big deal. There should be in-situ development. Cities are expanding and it is natural for people to come to cities,” she added.

“Many states have now recognised that they need to cater to the needs of the urban poor and that they are an integral part of our economic growth,” she stressed.