India, July 13 -- In a move aimed at accelerating the grant of property ownership rights to lakhs of residents living in Delhi's unauthorised colonies, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has sought Rs.100 crore from the Centre for the first phase of implementing the revised Pradhan Mantri Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY). The proposed funding will support a technology-driven land survey system, district-level implementation cells and a citywide awareness campaign to streamline the property rights process. In a letter to Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Manohar Lal, the Chief Minister requested that the financial assistance be sanctioned under the Urban Development Fund (UDF) to operationalise the revised PM-UDAY framework notified on April 6, 2026. Also Read - Vinod Nagar: Constable shoots wife dead on her birthday, flees According to the Chief Minister's Office, the revised regulations provide a fresh legal framework for granting property rights to residents of unauthorised colonies. The scheme allows these colonies to be regularised on an "as-is-where-is" basis, a provision expected to simplify the process of issuing ownership documents to lakhs of eligible residents. The Delhi government has designated the Revenue Department as the nodal agency for implementing the scheme. As part of the rollout, PM-UDAY cells will be established in all 13 districts of the city, with each unit headed by an Additional District Magistrate (ADM). These cells will oversee physical verification of properties, digital mapping, land record updates and processing of applications across Delhi's 1,511 unauthorised colonies. Also Read - Four minors feared drowned in Yamuna The proposed Rs.100 crore allocation has been divided into three major components. Of the total, Rs.65 crore has been earmarked for developing a modern land survey and mapping system under the DRISHTI initiative. The technology-based system is expected to improve the accuracy, transparency and efficiency of property verification and land record modernisation. Another Rs.25 crore has been proposed for setting up PM-UDAY cells at the district level and the scheme headquarters. According to the proposal, these dedicated cells are essential to ensure that property documents and authorisation letters are issued within the prescribed 45-day timeline. Also Read - Akasa suspends two Jewar routes The remaining Rs.10 crore has been allocated for public awareness and outreach activities. The campaign will include workshops with Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), establishment of help desks, dissemination of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), awareness regarding eligibility criteria and timelines, and organisation of single-window camps to assist applicants. In her letter, Gupta said, "The institutional framework required for implementing the scheme has already been notified and the work has commenced." She urged the Centre to approve the first-phase funding at the earliest, adding that "timely financial support from the Central Government will help ensure that lakhs of Delhi residents receive the benefits of property rights at the earliest and with greater ease." The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude to the Centre for its continued support in implementing the PM-UDAY scheme and requested an early decision on the proposal along with the necessary approvals.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.