Maharashtra has expanded the Abhay scheme for residents affected by stalled slum redevelopment projects in Mumbai, widening eligibility to include groups previously excluded because of eligibility disputes or changes in ownership records. The decision is expected to benefit approximately 25,000 slum dwellers, Maharashtra Minister and Mumbai Suburban district guardian minister Ashish Shelar said on Tuesday.
The Abhay scheme currently provides benefits to eligible slum dwellers living in redevelopment projects that have stalled, provided Annexure II was prepared before 2011. Annexure II is a key eligibility record used in the slum redevelopment process. Several residents, however, were not covered under the existing framework because their structures had earlier been classified as ineligible or because ownership had changed after the relevant records were prepared.
Under the expanded scheme, slum structures that existed before 2000 will be included for consideration. The expansion will also cover structures that existed between 2000 and 2011 where occupants were excluded after transfers made following the preparation of Annexure II, according to the report by the Press Trust of India, carried by Mid-Day.
The decision is aimed at addressing gaps in the earlier eligibility framework for residents living in stalled redevelopment projects. These projects have left affected families waiting for rehabilitation while redevelopment work remains delayed or does not progress under the original arrangement.
Shelar has directed officials to take the necessary steps to include eligible and previously ineligible slum dwellers from the 2000–2011 period under the scheme, a press release said. Authorities will have to examine the relevant records and determine whether individual structures and occupants qualify under the applicable rules.
The expanded eligibility will not automatically establish entitlement for every resident covered by the broader categories. Officials will first need to verify the age of structures, the relevant records and any transfers made after Annexure II was prepared. The administration’s examination of these records will determine which residents can receive the scheme’s benefits.
The latest announcement extends the scope of a rehabilitation mechanism linked to stalled slum redevelopment projects in Mumbai. It is expected to create a pathway for more residents to be considered under the scheme, particularly those whose structures or records did not fall within the earlier eligibility framework. The next step is for the authorities to process the relevant records and identify eligible beneficiaries.
