After 30 years, assurance given in Lok Sabha remains unfulfilled

If we are able to secure any assurance from the govt. in the Parliament on any issue, we are satisfied that the same will be fulfilled but this is not the case for each and every assurance. As per rules, an assurance is required to be fulfilled by the concerned Ministry within three months. However, if the Ministry is unable to fulfil the assurance within the prescribed period, it is required to seek extension of time from the Committee on Govt. Assurances. The assurance do not lapse on the dissolution or on the expiry of the term of the Lok Sabha and are pursued by the Committee until they are implemented or dropped by the Committee and as such, no assurance remains unfulfilled.

DDA has allotted about 24,500 plots in June last year after 31 years of launch of its Rohini Residential Scheme, 1981 though it promised to allot plots to all the applicants of about 82,000 within five years.

On the question raised by two MPs of Lok Sabha, Shri Buta Singh, Works and Housing Minister had assured on 5th December, 1983 that the plots to the registrants would be allotted at the rates as decided on the date of registration. The DDA has decided rates from Rs. 100 to 200 sq. metre for different categories in 1981 at the time of registration was but this assurance has not been fulfilled. In the allotment in 2007, the rates were between Rs. 4492 to Rs. 9169 per sq. mtr. for Weaker Section, LIG and MIG categories.The DDA has informed Anand Prakash in Feb. 2013 that the rate of the plots allotted in June, 2012 has yet not been finalized and the land costing Deptt. will finalize the rates meaning thereby that this allotment is also not be made on the rates declared at the time of launch of the scheme in violation of the assurance in Lok Sabha.

The Association of Waiting Registrants of Rohini Residential Scheme, 81 (AWRRRS) and others came to know about this Assurance in April, 2012. The Lok Sabha Secretariat on reminding about this assurance by sending letters and RTIs is avoiding direct answer on this issue.

Dr. Harshvardhan, Ex-Minister, Delhi and member of DDA sent two letters, one to the Vice Chairman, DDA on 8thNovember, 2012 and other to the Lt. Governor and Ex-officio Chairman, DDA on 10th December, 2012 and Parduymn Rajput, MLA sent a letter on 25.4.12 to the Lt. Governor both requesting to allot the plots at the rates mentioned at the time of launch the scheme. Moreover, Association has also sent letter to the Urban Development Minister, Kamal Nath on 6th Nov. 12 and on 7th Feb. 2013 requesting for the same. Another letter was sent to P. Shreedharan, Additional Secretary, Lok Sabha Secretariat on 7.2.2013 but no reply has been received so far as it seems there is no valid reason for not fulfilling the assurance.

On this the Association sent a letter to Miss Meira Kumar, Speaker, Lok Sabha demanding fulfilment of the assurance but did not get any reply. Association has also sent another letter to Shri J.S. Patnaik on 27.4.2012 for the same, all un-replied.

In reply to an RTI application, K. Sona, Under Secretary, Lok Sabha Sectt. informed to an applicant that it has sent a letter and reminder also on 9th July and 3rd Sept. 2012 to Dr. Sudhir Krishna, Secretary, Ministry of Urban Development. When Anand Prakash, an allottee asked about the progress on the aforesaid letters sent by the Lok Sabha Sectt., Shri R.R. Singh, Under Secy, Urban Development Ministry informed that in spite of his best efforts, he could not trace these letters. He requested the applicant to send the copies of the letter and reminder to trace them and the applicant sent the copies of both the letters in December, 2012. In view of the reply of Urban Development Ministry about the un-traceability of these letters, when the Association asked for the proof of sending them to the U.D. Ministry by submitting RTI application, K. Sona, Under Secy, Lok Sabha Secretariat informed on 22nd March, 2013 that his application is under process and he will be informed appropriately at the earliest possible opportunity. Under the RTI Act, the information should have been provided within a month and from the reply, it was clear that either the Lok Sabha Sectt. or the U.D. Ministry is misleading.

In its letters, Lok Sabha Sectt. sought the comments of the Urban Development Ministry for consideration of the Committee on Petitions, Lok Sabha. After that, no information has been received on this so far. On 18thDecember, 2012, Urban Development Ministry informed Anand Prakash that DDA is an autonomous organization and to contact the DDA directly thus evading its responsibility as an administrative Ministry.