Tuesday, 22 October 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Dharampur MLA and senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vinod Chamoli accused the Congress of politicising the issue of slum regularisation and claimed that the government is now moving towards a permanent solution regarding the ownership of slum lands. The former Dehradun mayor said this following Congress’ recent demand for permanent ownership of slum lands instead of a temporary ordinance issued by the BJP-led State government.
Chamoli said in a Press conference on Monday that the BJP government has consistently worked towards safeguarding slum settlements and is now moving towards a permanent solution. He highlighted the government’s efforts to determine the breadth of rivers through a hydrographic survey, which will provide clarity on the definition of riverbanks and submerged land. Once the survey is finalised, the government will proceed with land conversion process to enable the regularisation of slums, he said. Chamoli also reiterated the BJP’s commitment to holding municipal elections promptly, ensuring that slum dwellers’ interests are secured through the upcoming ordinance. He referenced the formation of a single-member commission to address OBC reservations, following Supreme Court directions and the commission’s subsequent recommendations. He said that based on discussions held across three meetings, it was decided to conduct the elections according to the 2018 arrangement, which was based on the 2011 census data. He expressed confidence that rules and rosters for OBC, women, SC and ST reservations will be ready within a few days.
Following the completion of any objections and remaining formalities, the State expects to hold municipal elections in December. The committee’s term has already been extended for a month and may be extended further if necessary, he added. Discussing Uttarakhand’s economic growth, Chamoli described it as a positive sign of prosperity. Over 24 years of development, the State’s economy has grown 24 times, from Rs 14,501 crore in 2000 to Rs 3,46,000 crore in 2023-24. Per capita income has also increased by 17 times during this period, now standing at Rs 2.6 lakh compared to Rs 15,285 in 2000, Chamoli said.
