Union urban development minister Jaipal Reddy said that the government will soon make available slum lands in New Delhi for re-development. The government will follow the Mumbai model where land is auctioned to the real estate developers for building flats. Certain number of flats will be reserved for the slum dwellers at a minimal price. The developers can sell other flats to customers at the market rate.

“We are in the advance stage of finalizing the auction process in consultation with the Delhi development Authority (DDA). We would be ready with the guidelines soon,” the minister said.

The minister informed that the government is also taking suitable steps to increase housing supply for people in middle income group in the Capital. “We have asked DDA to construct large number of flats for middle class population living in Delhi. With land cost hitting the roof and the financial slowdown squeezing the paying capacity of people, the government would take all possible steps to release and develop large chunks of land into affordable residential apartments,” the minister said.

Mr Reddy also said that the urban development ministry is giving final touches to the long pending bill on real estate regulator. “It would be a model bill that would be mandatory for Delhi and a model for other states to incorporate in their state legislature,” he said.

Mr Reddy further said that while the government is trying to pep the dying sentiments in the realty sector, the regular infrastructure needs would also be given a very high priority. He informed that the Planning Commission is considering ministry’s proposal to inject more funds into the existing corpus of Rs 50,000 crore. “We have asked for an additional funding Rs 20,000 to take up additional projects under the flagship programmed of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban renewal Mission,” he said.