Tuesday, February 22 2005 15:31 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Notwithstanding opposition from a section of his own party Congress, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh last night (Feb 21, 2005) vowed to continue with slum demolition saying it would be "enormous" and said Rs 25,000 crore was required if all slum-dwellers were to be rehabilitated.

"If you want to rehabilitate all the seven lakh slum dwellers, the total amount needed is Rs 25,000 crore," Deshmukh said.

He added however that, right now the State Government's priority was to rehabilitate 5,000 to 8,000 slum dwellers who were evicted in recent demolition drive.

He said the demolition drive would continue against slums, which have come from the year 2000 and to stop construction of fresh slums. The drive will "probably be enormous."