NEW DELHI: Delhi Devlopment Authority (DDA) passed its budget for 2013-14 at an Authority meeting held on Tuesday with special focus on development oflow-income housing in its sub-cities and maintenance of green areas. Infrastructure projects also got a boost. 

L-G Tejinder Khanna, who is the DDA chairman, said that before the next Authority meeting, a monitoring chart giving targets, timelines and date of completion should be given so that the projects can be monitored for deadlines and cost escalation. This may help in expediting projects like the Sarita Vihar underpass or covering of the Defence Colony nallah which have been going on for years. 

The land-owning agency is optimistic about getting revenue worth Rs 5876.85 crore in 2013-14 from disposal of land, houses and shops. An allocation of 22% more over last year's estimates has been made for meeting the demand for residential, commercial and institutional land development work taken up in Rohini, Dwarka, Narela, Jasola, Bakkarwala, Maidangarhi, Kirti Nagar, Paschim Vihar, Alaknanda, etc. 

While the budget estimate for 2012-13 was Rs 2,156.37 crore, it has increased to Rs 2,543.05 crore for 2013-14. Housing remains a priority. At the beginning of 2012-13, construction work was on for 30,813 houses. Out of these, 4,321 houses have been put up for a draw by the housing wing. In the present financial year, 4855 EWS houses and 24,660 LIG houses were planned to be taken up for construction in Dwarka, Narela and Rohini and these are expected to be completed in 2013-14. Work on another 3000 EWS houses in Kalkaji Extension is likely to start soon with an estimated projection of Rs 30 crore. 

Delhi's green projects like Astha Kunj, Satpula lake complex, development of Yamuna riverfront and maintenance and development of biodiversity parks of Yamuna and Aravalli are the other focal point. Construction work on 10 Master Plan roads is also proposed to be taken up with a provision of Rs 140.39 crore.