New Delhi: Chief minister Rekha Gupta met jhuggi jhopri residents on Republic Day and inaugurated several infrastructure projects, collectively valued at about Rs 327 crore, to improve their lot. Gupta inaugurated the projects at the CM House. Of the total approved amount, work worth Rs 144 crore has already been awarded. Addressing the gathering, Gupta said Delhi govt was working with a commitment to improve the quality of life of people living in the JJ clusters. She said that previous govts had treated JJ residents as vote banks and fostered an environment of fear and neglect. In contrast, the present govt considers the struggles of the poor as its own, she said. The event was attended by cabinet minister Ashish Sood, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva, CEO of Dusib Rupesh Thakur and several other senior officials and dignitaries. A notable feature of the programme was the participation of several women from JJ clusters, the CMO said. “The CM personally invited JJ cluster representatives to participate in the programme and ate lunch with them,” her office added. The approved projects include the construction of public convenience complexes in the clusters. Under this scheme, approval of Rs 225 crore has been granted for 476 works, of which 214 projects worth Rs 81 crore have already been awarded. Similarly, under the cement-concrete work, Rs 102 crore was approved for 254 projects, and 172 works worth Rs 63 crore have been awarded. Highlighting the contribution of JJ residents to Delhi’s growth, the CM said that workers from these settlements play a vital role in building the city. She stressed that govt’s objective is to ensure that benefits reach the last mile.
