Govt announces creation of 30,000 Mohalla Sabhas

In a major Cabinet decision on Wednesday, Delhi government announced the start of the procedure for creation of 30,000 Mohalla Sabhas in the city to implement its Swaraj model. The Cabinet also drastically reduced the freehold charges in unauthorised colonies and slums which would benefit over 60,000 households.

“There will be around 3,000 to 4,000 voters in each Mohalla Sabha constituting people of homogeneous socio-economic profiles. These Mohalla Sabhas will have all the rights to <g data-gr-id="17">expend</g> Swaraj Fund strictly through public participation. The district magistrate of the district will be the nodal officer for the formation and functioning of Mohallas,” said a spokesperson of the Delhi government. The project is being launched in all the 70 Assembly constituencies of Delhi after a successful experiment of Swaraj Fund in 11 Assembly constituencies with the maiden budget of the Aam Aadmi Party government.

The Cabinet also approved the proposal to drastically reduce the rates for freehold rights of Jhuggi <g data-gr-id="18">Jhopari</g> (JJ) and the resettlement colonies. “It has been decided that for original allottees the new rates will be Rs 500 per square meter while those who have bought properties from original allottees and subsequent buyers will pay Rs 2,000 per square meter,” informed the spokesperson. 

Before <g data-gr-id="20">2007</g> the charge for freehold was 30 per cent of the circle rates and 100 <g data-gr-id="19">per cent</g> of the circle rates thereafter. The Cabinet also decided to form a Group of Ministers (GoM) to sort out various issues related to regularisation of unauthorised colonies. 

The GoM will be headed by the Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia while Satyendra Jain and Kapil Mishra, also members.