"If millions of people are on the wrong side of law in Delhi on shops and residential accommodation, there must be something wrong with the law rather than the people,” said Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy on Monday.
The minister was speaking as the chief guest in a symposium on Master Plan in the Delhi Assembly. Almost all those involved in framing the MPD were present – Minister of state Ajay Maken, chief minister Sheila Dikshit, Cabinet ministers in the Dikshit government, several MLAs and senior officials.
Reddy said: “For the first time, DDA was at the disposal of the Delhi government and the Delhi Assembly for the framing of the Master Plan. There is no denying the fact that the state government represents the aspirations of the people of the city,” he added.
On relief to the traders, Reddy said there are six lakh traders in Delhi. “Out of these only 50-60 thousand can be said to be rich. The rest are self-employed people,” he said, posing a questions, “How would we have allowed these people to lose their livelihood?”
Reddy’s deputy, Maken too defended the MPD and said that realistic approach was adopted in framing the document. Referring to the regularisation of the unauthorised colonies, he said how can 35 lakh people described as unauthorised dwellers as they pay water and power tariffs and other taxes.
{{/usCountry}}Reddy’s deputy, Maken too defended the MPD and said that realistic approach was adopted in framing the document. Referring to the regularisation of the unauthorised colonies, he said how can 35 lakh people described as unauthorised dwellers as they pay water and power tariffs and other taxes.
{{/usCountry}}Dikshit asked for a change in the 50-year old administrative set-up of Delhi. Referring to the MCD and DDA, she said these should be brought under the state government. Reddy assured that steps would be taken to change both the DDA and MCD Acts.
Amitabh Shukla: ashukla@hindustantimes.com