Centre to remove ‘will’ to avail PM-UDAY benefits: DDA

‘Expect an increase in rate of disposal of cases’

In a move to simplify the documentation required to avail of benefits under the Pradhan Mantri - Unauthorised Colonies in Delhi Awas Adhikar Yojana  (PM-UDAY) scheme, the Centre has approved a proposal to exclude a ‘will’ as a mandatory document, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) said on Friday. 

The Centre launched the PM-UDAY scheme in December 2019 to give ownership rights of properties in unauthorised colonies.

“After amendments are made in the regulations, these applications will now be processed in the absence of a ‘will’,” read a statement issued by the DDA. It added that with the exclusion of a ‘will’ as a mandatory document, it expected an increase in the rate of disposal of cases as well as in the number of overall applications.

In a press conference held on March 8, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Puri said many applicants under the scheme were not in possession of a valid “will” document, adding that the proposed amendment will help resolve the grievance of applicants. 

The DDA said that in many applications, the applicants had provided a ‘Registered Gift Deed’ in the place of GPA/ATS (General Power of Attorney/Agreement to Sell), as a document to avail of benefits under the scheme. 

“These could not be processed as the regulations did not allow ‘Gift Deed’ as an acceptable document. Now, applications with a ‘Registered Gift Deed’ will also be allowed for conferment of property rights under PM-UDAY,” the DDA’s press note read.