CHANDIGARH: The central govt, on Tuesday, refused to give ownership rights to allottees of rehabilitation colonies of Chandigarh. It was stated that there was no such provision and houses were given to allottees on a monthly rent basis. Incidentally, local BJP leaders claimed in the past that the party would ensure ownership rights for residents of rehabilitation colonies.
The clarification came on a question asked by city MP Manish Tewari in Parliament on Tuesday. Raising the issue of rehabilitation colonies, Tewari asked whether the Union govt was aware of any survey conducted by the estate office of Chandigarh to ascertain ownership rights of houses under rehabilitation schemes in Chandigarh. If so, he requested details thereof, and if not, the reasons.
Replying to the question, Union minister of state, home affairs, Nityanand Rai said, “These houses were allotted to economically weaker sections of society on a monthly licence fee basis or leasehold basis. In these rehabilitation schemes, there is no provision to get ownership rights.”
Replying to another question regarding the total number of such houses built under rehabilitation schemes in the city since financial year 1980-1981 to financial year 2018-2019, the minister replied that Chandigarh has 34,965 such houses under rehabilitation schemes. As per the record provided, maximum number of houses, 11,616, were built in 2010-2011, followed by 6,161 houses in 1992-1993 and 4,960 in 2018-2019. The issue of ownership has been a major election issue, affecting lakhs of people.
The MP said, “It is very unfortunate that the NDA, BJP govt is short-changing poor people and not giving them the ownership rights as they promised in the 2014, 2019, and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.”
