JJR Colonies

JJR Section has any duties and responsibilities which it has to undertake with care and sincerity. They are:

1. Under the JJ Resettlement Plan, DDA developed 44 colonies from 1960 to 1985. These JJR colonies were taken by the Slum & JJ Dept under MCD for managing the upkeep of these colonies. There are different zonal officers in the seven zones and currently they have to ensure that the original licence holders for these areas pay their licence fees. There are number of licences to be transferred considering the colonies were allocated around 30 years or so before. There are many cases that keep coming up in these offices which have to be looked into from time to time. In these seven zones where the colonies are spread, there are many residential plots, coal depots, shops, kiosks, factory plots, building material plots, tenements and even pig sheds. The L&L (JJ) Section handles those colonies where the residential plots measure 80 Sq. Yds. Currently, there are five such JJ Colonies. The JJR section also takes strict action against those who default on the licence fee.
2. The whole collection of licence fees is under the control of the Zonal Asst. Director. The zonal staff works under the director. The Director has the power to issue notices to recover licence fee and it is the staff which has to ensure the recovery. The amount collected needs clearance from the Head, Accountant and also the Asst Director. The amount so collected is deposited in the Slum & JJ Treasury after due clearance. The Zonal offices also have to maintain a record of the revenue collected.
3. Most of the spaces in JJR colonies were allocated years ago by DDA. These plots were managed by Slum & JJ Dept. Even today, the fees collected are as per old records. Those who were allocated 25 Sq.yds of residential plots and 125 yards of commercial plots have to just pay a licence fee of Rs. 8 every month. For commercial plots on the roadsides, had to pay Rs. 16 every month. Then as per a Corporation Resolution in 2000, it was decided that there will be a 10% increase in the licence fees every three years. It also made way for revision of licence fees. Though the amount of Rs. 8 was meant only for those who were the original holders of the plot, it was found that many old plots were sold by these original allottees. In such a case, those occupying these plots are doing so illegally and some plots are even trespassed. Though a resolution no. 372 was passed to correct the situation, it is still kept on hold. If the said resolution would have come to effect, the Dept could have obtained a good amount from unauthorized dwellers and the trespassers could be evicted and those plots could be free.
4. A committee comprising officers from the Slum & JJ Dept was formed with the Dy. Commissioner (S&JJ)-II as the chairman. This committee was to reassess the policy of damages of JJR properties. The committed prepared the report which was sent to the Municipal Secretary of MCD on 7th November 2002. The Slum Committee on receiving the report formed a sub-committee including municipal councillors on 14th July 2003. For the next four years, the subcommittee kept on reconstituting.  The most recent meeting of the committee was held in 2010 which took up the matter. As of now, the Standing Committee has yet to sanction the matter.
5. The Corporation passed two resolutions in 2009 and 2010 (No. 1010 on 12 February, 2009 and No. 741 on 8 February, 2010), though the Commissioner of MCD did not put in his remarks for the same. As per the resolutions, the arrears of payment to be waived off from 81 colonies and that the current occupants could be given ownership rights to these colonies. The Central Government hasn’t approved it so far, and that means the occupants do not have to pay anything as of now. These plots are referred to as Nazul lands and that means the Indian Government is the sole owner of these plots and all their day to day affairs have to be conducted as per the government policies.  Also, as per the High Court case of Pitampura Sudhar Samiti Vs GNCTD & Ors, dated 27 September, 2002 (CWP No. 4215/95), the plots that have handed down for relocation should not given away free. A Prelude that has to be placed for review under either the Standing Committee or Slum Committee for withdrawing the resolutions to bring the matter before the Corporation has been sent to the concerned authorities.