Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has written to Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Manohar Lal Khattar, requesting ₹100 crore in Central funding for the first phase of the revised Pradhan Mantri Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana (PM-UDAY). The letter, sent on 12 July, seeks to ensure the scheme's effective ground-level implementation across Delhi's vast network of unauthorised settlements.

What PM-UDAY Does

PM-UDAY is a flagship Central Government scheme designed to grant legal ownership and property transfer rights to residents of unauthorised colonies in Delhi. Under the scheme, eligible residents can obtain permanent ownership documents, legally sell their properties, and access bank loans against their assets.

Critically, the scheme also enables the conversion of properties held through General Power of Attorney (GPA), Will, or Agreement to Sell into legally recognised and registered ownership titles — a long-pending demand of millions of residents in the capital's informal settlements.

The Revised Framework and Its Scale

In April, Union Housing Minister Manohar Lal announced the regularisation of 1,511 unauthorised colonies on an 'as is, where is' basis, removing the earlier requirement for approved layout plans. The decision was projected as a major relief for more than 45 lakh residents living in these settlements across New Delhi.

Chief Minister Rekha Gupta had welcomed the revised framework, noting it would enable regularisation of 1,531 unauthorised colonies without prior layout plan approvals. She also confirmed that 511 colonies out of Delhi's total 1,731 unauthorised colonies were being taken up for immediate regularisation.

All plots and buildings within these colonies would be treated as residential properties under the revised policy, the Chief Minister had stated.

Survey and Documentation Timeline

A structured joint survey mechanism has been put in place. According to the plan, the Delhi Development Authority's (DDA) GIS survey is to be completed within seven days, deficiencies addressed within the following 15 days, and conveyance deeds issued within 45 days. Revenue officials are to carry out these joint surveys within a fixed timeline.

Notably, the revised policy is expected to benefit nearly 45 lakh residents living in unauthorised colonies that emerged on agricultural land over the last three to four decades — largely a product of Delhi's acute affordable housing shortage and rapid urban expansion.

Affluent Colonies Also in Scope

Union Minister Manohar Lal had also indicated that more than 60 affluent unauthorised colonies — including Sainik Farms and Anant Ram Dairy — would be considered for regularisation. However, he clarified that residents of these colonies would face higher charges, though the structure and schedule of those charges were yet to be finalised. 'We will do it,' he had said.

What Happens Next

The ₹100 crore funding request from the Centre is the immediate next step in operationalising the revised PM-UDAY framework. With the survey and deed issuance timelines already defined, the pace of implementation will depend significantly on how quickly the Centre responds to the Chief Minister's request and disburses the first-phase funds.