Drawing flak over migrant remark, CM says Delhi belongs to all

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Sunday said the city belongs to everyone and those living here get similar facilities irrespective of their state of origin, caste, creed, language or religion.

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, who faced flak for her alleged remark on migrants, on Sunday said the city belongs to everyone and those living here get similar facilities irrespective of their state of origin, caste, creed, language or religion.

While addressing a series of public meetings at various places in Okhla, Burari, Model Town, Moti Nagar and Sadar Bazar Assembly constituencies, Dikshit said if voted to power again, she would continue to do so in the next five years. Attacking opposition BJP for "concentrating on divisive policies," she said there would be no scope of any discrimination and exploitation of certain sections under the Congress rule. After a rap from Delhi Lokayukta over the issue of regularisation of unauthorised colonies, the Chief Minister once again promised to regularise the colonies and "make the residents proud owner of their properties". She also said that most of the families coming in search of employment opportunities were forced to settle down in the unauthorised colonies and "as a sensitive government it became our duty to make their stay comfortable." Government had spent Rs 7,800 crore on development works in the colonies, Dikshit said, adding the new government would make provision of another Rs 10,000 on this head to upgrade the infrastructure and ensure amenities across Delhi. She also said drinking water supply had been started in 828 unauthorised regularised colonies whereas sewerage work has been completed in such 98 colonies. The new government would get finalised the new sewerage master plan in order to bring all colonies under the sewerage network. She said that the next five years would witness uniform distribution of the drinking water in the city and old, rusted water pipelines would be replaced. Dikshit said that her government is committed to development and prosperity and the next government would double the GDP and the per capita income during next five years. "Delhi has the highest per capita income of Rs 2.01 lakh."