Have agreed to all conditions of Centre on unauthorised colonies: Kejriwal

New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) The Delhi government has agreed to all the conditions of the Union government on the regularisation of unauthorised colonies, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Wednesday.

Along with accepting the conditions, Kejriwal said his government has also sent 12 suggestions including that if any unauthorised colony came up in the future, the concerned MCD officials and area SHO will be suspended and colonies within the riverbed will not be regularised.

The Delhi government also suggested that the general power of attorney of those regularised before June 30 will be considered valid and the ownership will be allowed accordingly.

The chief minister said in the first phase, 1,797 unauthorised colonies will be regularised.

He said the colonies have been divided into three categories -- those built on government land, on farming land and those built on private land. "For the first two categories, people will have to pay some money and penalty, while for the third only a penalty is to be paid."

Speaking to the media, Kejriwal said: "We agreed to all the conditions of the Union government. Right now our only aim is to provide the residents of unauthorised colonies with the registry of their properties. I won't rest till this is done. We are working hard to provide all unauthorised colonies of Delhi with roads, drains, sewer and water. I am extremely happy that the Centre has taken a decision to regularize the unauthorised colonies of Delhi. The proposal is ready for the same. The centre is also showing that it is ready to implement it soon; we are also ready to get it done as soon as possible. The time is not far when the residents of the unauthorised colonies will get a dignified life and their due rights," he said.

In November 2015, the Delhi Cabinet approved a proposal to grant ownership rights to people living in unauthorized colonies.

"In November 2015, we sent a proposal to the Centre. On July 17, the Centre gave a positive response to the proposal and had asked for certain clarifications," Kejriwal said.

He said the Centre gave the city government 15 days for its reply, but "we have submitted our reply in just seven days".

Kejriwal said regularisation of the unauthorised colonies is one of the priorities of his government.

"As the Centre is also interested in the same, this should be done on a priority basis."

On Tuesday, the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said that it would issue an order to regularise unauthorised colonies in Delhi within a month.