DDA flats for paramilitary force heroes a boon or a curse?

The government has decided to give priority in allotment of single-bedroom DDA flats to paramilitary heroes to boost their morale considering their tough duties in dealing with volatile circumstances on the borders with Pakistan and China and in other security situations, but the question arises if the step would really make the beneficiaries happy?

The Centre, which declared that priority will be given to those paramilitary personnel who have been conferred bravery awards or to the wives of those who lost their lives on duty, claims that its motive is very clear as it wants to take every measure for the welfare of the paramilitary or Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) personnel. However, some reports regarding previous constructions of Delhi Development Authority (DDA) raises doubts if its decision will, in reality, help the troopers.

Will DDA do justice to them and not repeat what it did in the past to its buyers?

It is significant to mention that a few buyers of such flats in the recent past had approached courts and other authorities with complaints related to the construction.

As per reports, done by various media organisations, the quality of most of the DDA constructed flats is "very poor" and "not up to the mark". "There were hollow structures and most of them were not fully maintained with proper water and electricity supply until the buyers took possession," one of the reports said.

However, authorities dismiss such fears.

Talking to , BJP's Delhi MLA Vijender Gupta, who is a member of the DDA, said the paramilitary personnel will be given "priority during allotment of the flats constructed by the authority and it will depend on them to accept it or not".

He rejected reports that DDA constructed flats were not up to the mark. "It is wrong. Over 2-3 lakh people are residing in such flats. They are not complaining. Making allegations is not enough."

Gupta also clarified that the DDA flats are not being "gifted" to paramilitary personnel under the Centre's scheme. "They will be given preference in the allotment process under a new category, if they apply. They will not have to wait for lottery system."

"If they (paramilitary personnel) will not apply, other government employees will be given priority for these flats in another category," Gupta, who is the Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, told . "It is not necessary that they will have to take these flats."

He also said DDA is not constructing any new flat under the new land pooling policy. "Private players are being pooled for the construction."

Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, while addressing Border Security Force (BSF) personnel on its Raising Day, on Sunday announced that the Centre has started a scheme to provide DDA constructed one-bedroom flats in Delhi to the CAPF's bravery award winners and the wives of those martyred on "concessional rates".

Despite the residential facilities under DDA, other flats are being constructed for the wives of martyred BSF troopers in various BSF institutions under a special relief fund, Rai said.

He also said that BSF personnel will also be given weightage in the Gurugram-based House Scheme of the Army Welfare Housing Organisation.

The move was taken considering the hard work being done by CAPF personnel in difficult circumstances and the initiative is part of the programme under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Rai added.

With nine lakh personnel, the BSF, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are among the CAPF forces under the Union Home Ministry and are mandated to provide security at India's borders with Pakistan, China, Myanmar, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Nepal, as well as at different government establishments.

(Rajnish Singh can be contacted at rajnish.s@.in)

( With inputs from IANS )