UT claim of making Chandigarh slum-free city dubious: Bansal

Former Union minister and ex-MP Pawan Kumar Bansal has termed the claim of ‘BJP-controlled’ UT Administration to make Chandigarh a slum-free city as dubious and accused it of choosing ‘anti-people’ means to achieve a laudable objective.

Bansal said under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, the UPA Government had formulated the Small Flats Scheme in 2006 to construct 25,728 accommodations in Chandigarh to rehabilitate all the families living in 18 slum colonies of the city. As many as 12,224 flats were constructed by 2014 and Chandigarh was adjudged the best city for planned habitat for urban poor.

Bansal alleged that the succeeding NDA Government allegedly reversed the entire process. “The Small Flats Scheme was discontinued and replaced by PM Awas Yojana. In the past 11 years, only about 5,000 flats have been added at an enhanced monthly rent of Rs 3,000. No general housing scheme has been rolled out,” he said.

It has now resorted to demolish slum colonies without constructing the remaining small flats, rendering dwellers without shelter.