<p>The minutes of five meetings of Standing Committee on Home held from September 30, 2010 to January 5, 2011 on New Delhi Municipal Council (Amendment) Bill showed that most of the members favoured having elected representatives for NDMC rather than nominated ones as is the present practice.<br /><br />The Union Home Ministry, however, told the committee that it is not in favour of such a move, according to the minutes which were tabled in Parliament today.<br /><br />The NDMC ((Amendment) Bill sought to make certain changes in the present structure of the body, including reducing number of MLAs from three to two as after delimitation only two constituencies fall within New Delhi area.<br /><br />It said the number of members from various fields be increased from two to four, including one scheduled caste member while the body as a whole should have at least three women and two SC members.<br /><br />Several members and officials of Residents Welfare Associations, whose views were also heard by the panel, sought at least some kind of elected representation arguing that residents should have a say in the civic affairs.<br /><br />Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai, submitting his views, said 80 per cent of NDMC area comprises government buildings and out of 3.02 lakh residents, 2.2 lakh are staying in government colonies. The Ministry felt that as two-thirds of population is from families of government employees, majority of the council members will be family members of government servants.<br /><br />"We do not want in one sense the politicisation of government officers and their families," Pillai said.<br /><br />He said since majority of the population are government servants and their families and more than 80 per cent of the land is owned by the Centre, they are in a sense "adequately represented through the nominated members".<br /><br />The Ministry noted that NDMC area has a special character as it houses key Central government buildings other than foreign missions and state bhawans.<br /><br />Pillai said the policy decisions taken by local body in NDMC area "may have a far-reaching impact, even including impacting the country's reputation at the international level".<br />He said decisions could also lead to unnecessary issues between the Centre and state governments and the Centre and foreign missions. He said the policy has been to keep the NDMC "as a unique body"</p>
<p>The minutes of five meetings of Standing Committee on Home held from September 30, 2010 to January 5, 2011 on New Delhi Municipal Council (Amendment) Bill showed that most of the members favoured having elected representatives for NDMC rather than nominated ones as is the present practice.<br /><br />The Union Home Ministry, however, told the committee that it is not in favour of such a move, according to the minutes which were tabled in Parliament today.<br /><br />The NDMC ((Amendment) Bill sought to make certain changes in the present structure of the body, including reducing number of MLAs from three to two as after delimitation only two constituencies fall within New Delhi area.<br /><br />It said the number of members from various fields be increased from two to four, including one scheduled caste member while the body as a whole should have at least three women and two SC members.<br /><br />Several members and officials of Residents Welfare Associations, whose views were also heard by the panel, sought at least some kind of elected representation arguing that residents should have a say in the civic affairs.<br /><br />Home Secretary Gopal K Pillai, submitting his views, said 80 per cent of NDMC area comprises government buildings and out of 3.02 lakh residents, 2.2 lakh are staying in government colonies. The Ministry felt that as two-thirds of population is from families of government employees, majority of the council members will be family members of government servants.<br /><br />"We do not want in one sense the politicisation of government officers and their families," Pillai said.<br /><br />He said since majority of the population are government servants and their families and more than 80 per cent of the land is owned by the Centre, they are in a sense "adequately represented through the nominated members".<br /><br />The Ministry noted that NDMC area has a special character as it houses key Central government buildings other than foreign missions and state bhawans.<br /><br />Pillai said the policy decisions taken by local body in NDMC area "may have a far-reaching impact, even including impacting the country's reputation at the international level".<br />He said decisions could also lead to unnecessary issues between the Centre and state governments and the Centre and foreign missions. He said the policy has been to keep the NDMC "as a unique body"</p>