New Delhi, June 23 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta announced on Tuesday that residents of all slum clusters established in the city up to January 1, 2025, will now be eligible for rehabilitation benefits.

This decision was taken at the 36th meeting of the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), chaired by Chief Minister Gupta, an official said.

Delhi has a total of 675 slum clusters distributed across various districts.

In a message on X, the Chief Minister said, “The rehabilitation decision is in line with the Delhi Slum and JJ Rehabilitation and Relocation Policy, 2026, finalised under the guidance of Union Home Minister Shah.”

“Until now, 2015 served as the cut-off year for rehabilitation. By extending the eligibility to January 1, 2025, this decision will bring lakhs of slum-dwelling families within the ambit of rehabilitation and renewed hope,” said CM Gupta.

She said the decision advances Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s commitment to the welfare of the poor and paves the way for modern housing with schools, health centres, anganwadis, playgrounds, and other essential amenities, enabling families to live with dignity and security.

In August last year, CM Gupta ordered a suspension of slum demolitions without rehabilitation, saying that no poor person will be rendered homeless as the government plans to renovate 50,000 unoccupied flats and allot them to eligible slum dwellers.

“Our government’s priority is to ensure that every eligible family gets a secure roof over their head and an opportunity to be rehabilitated within their own area. This is not just about providing housing; it is a mission to restore dignity to their lives,” she had said.

The CM had said she has directed the Railways, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), and all government departments to ensure that no slum in Delhi is demolished.

In cases where removal becomes unavoidable due to development projects or other reasons, alternative housing must be provided in advance, she had said.

The Chief Minister stated that approximately 50,000 houses built years ago in the city’s outer areas will be renovated and allocated to slum dwellers.

The 675 slum clusters in Delhi comprise approximately 3.06 lakh (306,000) slum dwellings. Spread over a total area of 804.5 hectares, about 50 per cent of these slums are located on DDA land.

Around 23 per cent are on government/public sector or private land, while 22 per cent are on land owned by agencies such as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and DUSIB.

The South-East Delhi district accounts for the highest number with 144 clusters, followed by North Delhi with 109, Central Delhi with 92, and West Delhi with 68. Shahdara has 54 clusters, New Delhi 49, South-West Delhi 46, and East Delhi 43. North-West Delhi houses 34 clusters, South Delhi 30 and North-East Delhi has six clusters.

–IANS

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