By IANS,
New Delhi : Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Wednesday announced a slew of measures for the people of the capital, including regularisation of over 900 unauthorised colonies, ahead of assembly elections in the state which are due in November 2013.
On the occasion of Independence Day, Dikshit also announced sops for economically weaker sections like free cooking stove, cash transfer of food subsidy and promised to begin work on the monorail project in the city in the next few months.
“The government has decided to regularise at one go over 900 unauthorised colonies very soon. This will usher in an era of planned development,” Dikshit said.
Dikshit, who unfurled the national flag at Chhatrasal Stadium to mark Independence Day, referred to the success of wrestler Sushil Kumar in London olympics and said there would be no dearth of funds for providing advanced sports training to players.
With over an year left for assembly elections in the national capital, Diskhit focused on her government’s work for the poorer sections and its efforts to improve infrastructure.
“The government has decided to allot flats to SC (Scheduled Caste) JJ dwellers for free. In order to make Delhi slum-free, thousands of low cost flats are being constructed,” she said.
She said people had to settle in unauthorised colonies as proper action was not taken for “planned urbanisation”.
The chief minister said Delhi will soon become the first kerosene-free city in the country.
“The government would provide LPG connection and gas and cooking stove for free to two lakh families. Apart from this, the Government has decided to implement Delhi Annshri Yojna to provide cash transfer food subsidy amounting to Rs.600 per month to 1.75 lakh vulnerable families to purchase food-grains,” she said.
Noting that 65 percent of budget allocation has been marked for social sector, she said the government has decided to prominently display details of government schemes in its offices to create more awareness.
She said the government had decided to add 2,000 more beds in its hospitals and open a new hospital.
Dikshit, who Wednesday unfurled the tricolour on the 14th successive occasion, said the achievements of her government were visible and the living standard of people had improved.
Referring to efforts to improve transport infrastructure, she said a large number of flyovers and underpasses have been built and mono rail lines will be laid in congested localities.
“The work on the first mono rail project from Shastri Park to Trilokpuri would begin in next few months. The mono rail would supplement Delhi Metro in the capital city,” she said.
Dikshit said that Signature Bridge at Wazirabad will be completed next year and will bring about a sea change in traffic on both sides of the Yamuna River.
The chief minister said people of Delhi were proud of the achievements of wrestlers from the city in the Olympics and hoped Sushil Kumar will win gold medal in the 2016 games.
Noting that Chhatrasal Stadium has become a good venue for training for wrestlers, Dikshit said her government would provide the best and advanced sports training to the players. “There would be no dearth of funds for this purpose,” she said.
Referring to her meeting last month with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, she said an agreement has been signed for setting up a world class institute for skill development.
Noting the role of children in expanding green cover in the city, she called for their involvement in making the city clean.