New Delhi, Feb 9 The Rajya Sabha on Tuesday passed the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which seeks to regularise the illegal colonies in the national capital.
Introducing the bill, Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said: "1.35 crore people of Delhi... those living in unauthorised colonies, will get ownership. It will only help to improve living conditions of 1.35 crore people in Delhi, but the Central Vista project will also make Delhi one of the finest cities in the world."
The bill replaces the National Capital Territory of Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Second (Amendment) Ordinance, 2020, promulgated by President Ram Nath Kovind on December 30, 2020 to extend the validity of the 2011 act for three more years from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2023.
Puri said that the government would have brought in the law earlier had there been a Winter Session of Parliament.
"The urgency was that if we had not enacted in the interim period, the process of sealing, demolition, etc would have started. I am sure no member of this House would like Delhi to be subjected to that kind of uncertainty and chaos," he said.
Noting that Parliament, in 2006, had enacted the Delhi Laws (Special Provisions) Act to protect certain forms of encroachment and illegal colonies from punitive action, Puri said: "Provisions were extended through various ordinances and acts in 2007, 2009, 2014 and 2017. Exponential growth has led to serious stretch on resources leading to vast gaps in demand and supply."
The Minister also said that about 50 lakh people, living in unauthorised colonies in Delhi, will be benefited under the Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY), 10 lakh people from 'Jaha Jhuggi Wahi Makan' and 75 lakh people from land pooling, all which are under various stages of implementation.
( With inputs from IANS )
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