New Delhi: Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit along with all her Cabinet colleagues on Wednesdaymet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and thanked her for "intervention" and "support" in regularising over 900 unauthorised colonies which are home to nearly one-fourth of Delhi's population.
Besides her Cabinet colleagues, two dozen Congress MLAs also accompanied Dikshit in the meeting.
Crediting Gandhi for regularisation of the 917 unauthorised colonies, Dikshit said her intervention ensured a green signal from the Urban Development Ministry for regularisation of the settlements.
"The regularisation of unauthorised colonies has become possible only with the intervention and support of Smt Gandhi which resulted in a green signal from Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath to provide relief to lakhs of people," Dikshit said after the meeting.
In a major decision which will provide relief to 40 lakh people in the city, Dikshit yesterday announced regularising of the colonies, a key promise made by Congress ahead of Assembly polls in 2008.
The announcement is seen as Dikshit's preparation for the Assembly polls which are due in 15 months.
Dikshit said the historical decision to regularise the colonies has been taken on the lines of regularisation ordered by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1970s.
The Urban Development Minister had on Monday given a green signal to regularise the colonies, considered as traditional votebank of Congress party in the city having a population of 1.67 crore.
Residents of unauthorised colonies will felicitate Dikshit at a function tomorrow.
PTI
