Cong woos slum dwellers with flats

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, March 26

The Congress is preparing to woo Mumbai’s slum dwellers with the promise of a one bedroom/ hall/kitchen flat measuring 500 sq ft each.

“Say goodbye to one-room/kitchen. It’s now time for a 1BHK flat for everyone,” say posters put out by the Congress in slum areas of Mumbai.

Earlier this month, Congress president Rahul Gandhi said at a rally that the Congress would redevelop slum clusters in Mumbai under a scheme under which a 50 sq ft flat would be provided to every slum dweller.

Under existing schemes in Mumbai, residents of slum clusters going in for redevelopment are provided 269 sq ft flats. Builders who undertake redevelopment of slum clusters are expected to provide free flats for residents while recovering their construction cost by selling additional flats in the open market.

“Affordable housing for all and the minimum income guarantee scheme announced by Rahul Gandhi will be our main campaign themes,” Milind Deora, who took over as the president of the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee told reporters here today.