NEW DELHI, July 7: Criticising the new housing policy of the government, MLA Ramvir Singh Biduri and councillor Mahabal Mishra said that this would just benefit a select group of people.Addressing a joint press conference, Biduri and Mishra, who are also members of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) said that those who own more than 30 acres of land, includes Rajmata Scindia, Dalmias, Swatantra Bharat Mills owned by DCM, Sudhanshu Mittal and Madan Mittal, Karan Lotteries, among several others. Biduri claimed that all these people either belonged to the BJP or had close links with it and the government's move to allow builders to develop houses directly in case they owned more than 30 acres of contiguous land would benefit them.They said that while nearly 3.5 lakh residents who had deposited a total of Rs 24 crore as registration money with the DDA and other government agencies, would never be able to afford a house of their own. Mishra pointed out that since 1993 the government had not provided any land to DDA despite its repeated demand. Moreover, nearly 17,000 flats were lying unalloted for want of water and electricity even though DDA had deposited a sum of Rs 26 crore with the DVB.Admitting that the DDA had not been able to live up to the expectations of the residents, Biduri nonetheless felt that instead of making it defunct the government should tone up the administration of the DDA. Mishra pointed out that the BJP in its manifesto had promised to build one lakh housing units every year but had failed to deliver.They felt that the new housing policy should allow cooperative societies and the 1200 group housing societies, who have been registered with the DDA since 1982, should be authorised to directly purchase land from farmers and build on their own. This would help solve the housing problems of at least 2.4 lakh registrants. Biduri also felt that it should be made mandatory for builders to earmark at least 50 per cent of the FAR (Floor Area Ratio) for the remaining 90,000 registrants, thereby ensuring that were provided with affordable flats.Biduri and Mishra said that in case the government does not relent and modify the policy, they would sit in dharna outside Nirman Bhawan on July 17.
