Sheila Dikshit says govt is committed to develop unauthorised colonies

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Thursday described the trifurcation of Municipal Corporation of Delhi as historic and the most important decision taken during last 13 years of the present government.

Calling trifurcation a move that was aspired by all—the ruling party, the opposition as well as the general public - Dikshit said it will bring municipal administration closer to the people and make it more efficient. “The Opposition keeps asking what we have done in the last 13 years.

I will tell them. The single biggest thing we did in the last 13 years was the trifurcation of MCD. It was a historic decision for the benefit of the people of Delhi. The implementation of the MCD Amendment Act would result in an efficient and effective municipal administration,” said Dikshit in her reply to the debate on the motion of thanks on Lt Governor’s address in the Legislative Assembly.

Listing her achievements, Dikshit added the Delhi government had also approved 50 per cent reservation of seats for women in the three municipal bodies, making it the first city in the country to do so.

“Late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was the first person to propose 33 per cent reservation for women way back in 1982. Taking it further, the Delhi government has proposed 50 per cent.

Other governments may have proposed such reservation, but Delhi will be the first to see it implemented in the forthcoming municipal elections,” said Dikshit.

She said that her government was sensitive to the needs of general public and had been able to bring a sea change to the face of the Capital despite substantial increase in population from around 12 lakh in 1947 to 1.70 crore in 2011.

Reminding the House that the density of population in the city was the highest in the country, Dikshit said despite impediments the infrastructural development was visible in the city and was also being appreciated by everyone except the opposition BJP.

“Delhi has been encouraging service sector and the city has become an epicentre of development in north India. Earlier, Delhi was just a trading city. Today, it is the hub of education, health care, Delhi Metro, transport, greenery, planned development.”

She told the House that her government had set aside 53 per cent  of the Budget allocation for social sector during 2011-12. Delhi state offered the highest pension in the country to widows and  allowances for aged and handicapped persons, she said. “We are prepared to enhance it further. Our revenue collection has gone up by 23 per cent despite ongoing world-wide slowdown. Delhi people have paid their taxes. Thank you. We will return it back to you in the form of better infrastructure.”

Unauthorised colonies

The Chief Minister assured the residents of over 1,000 unauthorised colonies in the Capital that her government is committed to provide water supply, power and roads in all colonies irrespective of their status of regularisation.

Speaking on the floor of the House in Delhi Assembly, Dikshit accepted there had been delay in some development work in these colonies because the government had to take permission from multiple agencies.

She added that it had been sorted out now and a full-fledged developmental work would begin in a month or so.

“The work of mapping and finalisation of boundaries of all such colonies will be completed within one month. The government is keen to accomplish all important work of regularisation of colonies and I want to dispel apprehensions of any possible demolition in the minds of the residents of unauthorised colonies,” said Dikshit.

The government will never allow any circumstance to come up which may affect the interest of the residents of the unauthorised colonies, she said.

She said the no matter what- ever happens, the developmental works in such colonies is not going to suffer. “There may be some difficulties due to number of executing agencies and multiplicity of authority like DDA, ASI, forest department, and MCD. The final regularisation will only be notified after all sort of verification. However, that will not deter us from providing the basic facilities and development work till then,” said Dikshit while accepting that getting co-operation of various agencies is indeed a complex problem and it needs to be sorted out.

The Chief Minister also revealed that in order to make Delhi a slum-free city, the government is set to initiate allotment of 15,000 low-cost houses which have been constructed.

Dikshit also claimed that BJP criticise the government for dismal power and water supply, but things have improved drastically over the years and there is no crisis as such any where.

Taking a dig at the Opposition BJP, Dikshit recalled the power scene in the capital during their rule. “When I think of BJP rule, I can only think of those horrifying days of the worst water and power supply. The then government was not able to ensure supply of 1,900 MW power and there used to be longer blackouts of 20-24 hours, whereas the present government has successfully met power demand of over 5,000 MW.”