category Regional, chandigarh, , tags Regional, chandigarh, , DW BUREAU Chandigarh Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Thursday announced the regularisation of 210 unauthorised colonies in the state. These include 103 colonies from the Department of Town and Country Planning and 107 colonies from the Urban Local Bodies Department. The move is aimed at ensuring the provision of essential urban development and amenities for residents residing in these colonies as basic amenities such as roads, sewerage, water supply, and streetlights will be provided to them, Khattar said. So far, 1,883 colonies have been regularised by the BJP-led government in the state. The chief minister, however, warned that now if any unauthorised colony comes up, strict action will be taken against the developer. For this, the process of granting a license has also been changed, he said. The state government has also formulated the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Awas Yojana so that people can buy affordable houses. The aim is to empower people so that they can build their houses in authorised colonies only, he said. Khattar also announced the closure of eight toll plazas, including seven operated by the Public Works Department, in the state and asserted that people will save Rs 22.48 crore annually. Khattar also said 12,882 widowers and 2,026 unmarried people, who need financial assistance, will get a pension from December 2023 onwards. Our government has also decided to provide social security pensions to persons with disabilities and unmarried individuals. A widower who has attained the age of 40 years and his own verified annual income is up to Rs 3 lakh will be eligible for the scheme benefit, he said. Besides this, an unmarried person, male as well as female, who has attained the age of 45 years and belongs to a family whose verified annual family income is up to Rs 1.80 lakh will be eligible for the scheme, he said. Khattar said after reaching the age of 60, beneficiaries from both categories will be shifted to the Old Age Pension scheme according to the scheme eligibility criteria. Meanwhile, Khattar on Thursday digitally disbursed a compensation amount of nearly Rs 97 crore to 34,511 farmers who have suffered losses due to the heavy rainfall and floods in July. (editor dailyworld.in)