FOR A CITY OF YOUR DREAMS

VOTE

CONGRESS

Congress Manifesto
for the
Delhi Municipal Corporation
Elections - 2002

Your Vision
Our Mission

"I loved Delhi.
I hope Delhi will remember me."

- Jag Parvesh Chandra

INTRODUCTION

Municipal Corporation of Delhi is to ensure effective and better management of civic services so as to obtain good and healthy quality of life of Delhi citizens .

It is not denying the fact that the BJP during its past 5 years of civic governance has totally failed in providing basic civic functions. BJP has completely failed to enforce Building By-laws. More so the BJP has been hand-in-glove with land mafia , many of whom are its important financiers and office bearers. This has resulted in complete inaction on the part of civic officials due to which the general sanitation deteriorated to that extent that Queen Elizabeth of U.K. during her visit called Delhi as the dirtiest capital.

The BJP governance of MCD during the past 5 years has been also very lethargic as is apparent from the figures of utilization of allocated funds for Road, Sanitation, Public Health and Primary Education etc.

Dear Citizen, the chance has now come to change such an ineffective, uninterested and corrupt BJP mis -rule. The Congress administration in MCD in past has always been "Citizen-friendly" and therefore, always successful to ensure better quality of life for the people of Delhi . The Congress Party, therefore, promise that if voted to power in MCD it will give transparent and corruption free civic administration with people's participation in maintenance of civic amenities.

Your Vision - Our Mission

1. A system of self-assessment of property tax shall be introduced.
2. A city free of garbage and filth.
3. A city of trees and healthy environment.
4. A city without pollution.
5. To transform Delhi into a modern Hi-tech city with its International status.
6. A city of well built roads and flyovers.
7. For a civic governance more responsive to the people and a transparent administration with an accountability measure.

OUR MISSION

Our Mission is to fulfill your vision of clean, pollution free, Modern Delhi through Bhagidari , share the responsibility for advancing common community values, and to the extent possible, provide services which foster a high quality of life for all walks of people through wise use of community resources.

OUR COMMITMENT

We are committed to provide effective governance with a single points focus on improving quality of life for one and for all cutting through all the stratum of our society irrespective of caste, creed and religion.

Decentralisation of Civic Administration : -

We stand and promise a civic administration free of corruption. We stand committed to split the present gigantic sized Corporation into smaller corporations to make it more efficient responsive and improve the civic governance. In the meantime immediate steps shall be taken to strengthen the Zonal Civic Administration by giving more powers to Zonal Committees.

Efficient civic administration by Public involvement:-

The Congress shall devise such means and method of civic administration by which effective and objective public involvement could be ensured. The Civic administration shall be made accountable directly to public for its day-to-day performance. The people of Delhi shall have a right to obtain any information from various departments of the Municipal Corporation for which Delhi Government has already passed the "Right to Information Bill".

Cleanliness our top priority:-

Delhi emits 7000 tonnes of garbage everyday but MCD manages to lift is 5500 tonnes while 1500 tonnes lies back and continue to pile on an eventually become the breeding ground for various bacterial diseases and pollute the environment.

For serving an area as large as 1329.29 Sq. Km. and population of 1.4 crore , MCD has the following infrastructure, which is inadequate and in pathetic condition.

The Budget utilization figures are even more astonishing. Medical and Public Health budget were utilized upto 50% while Rs . 11 corers went unutilized which were allocated for sanitation services.

Apart from 7000 tonnes of solid waste daily, its 1300 Nallahs (Drains) produces 10 lakh Metric tones of silt every year. All these requires a management fully equipped with adequate number of garbage trucks, loaders and silt removing equipments under an operational and efficient management with proper use of allocated funds.

The Congress if voted to Power shall re- organise the total system with effective managment and total involvement of welfare associations and NGOs.

Solid Waste Management : -

The cleanliness of the city shall be totally mechanized with latest equipments and machines. The city shall be maintained in a way for which the citizens shall have sense of pride and not humiliation.

A system of self assessment of property tax shall be introduced. Relief and streamlining of House/Property tax system : -

To streamline House tax system the present slabs shall be further rationalized and by establishing machinery under elected representatives to attend and dispose of complaints against inflated bills and exaggerated assessments to avoid unnecessary harassment to house owners in matters relating to house tax/property tax. The residents will be issued with passbook'smart card system containing all information relating to the Assessment of house tax/property tax. The passbook/smart card shall also contain the information regarding the basis of assessment of their property to remove any ambiguity. The residential premises in urbanized villages shall be exempted from House/Property tax.

Development and maintenance of Roads : -

Roads are very crucial and indispendensable lifeline of any city for comfortable and uninterrupted movement of its citizens. Delhi has 35 lakhs of registered vehicles, which is more than the combined strength of Bangalore , Kolkata , Chennai, & Mumbai. The city has 22,769 Km. of road network under the jurisdiction of MCD to maintain the movement of its 1.4 crore citizens. MCD under the BJP regime has not only utterly failed to keep this extremely important lifeline in proper order but, have shown criminal negligence in its maintenance.

The Govt. of Delhi on an average allocates Rs . 100 crore for the MCD in this sector every year of which it has never crossed utilization of this fund more than 50%. There has been no dearth of financial resources The present depleted conditions of roads in Delhi are primarily on account of lack of political will, direction, and rampant corruption in the MCD.

Congress is committed to improve the conditions of the entire length of corporation roads by changing over to a new technology in this field in the very first year of its rule.

We will introduce night road repairs and traffic markings to avoid inconvenience to the public during day specially peak hours. It is proposed to built sub-ways at busy markets to have an accident free smooth vehicular traffic.

Modernisation of Primary Education : -

Children are our most precious assets, which shall shape the destiny of this great country. Today's children shall be responsible for making India strong., prosperous, and self-reliant. The Congress shall therefore completely revolutionize the primary education in which children shall be provided modern facilities in our schools. They shall be made to realize that they have a place of dignity, respect, and affection in the Society.

1. All classes shall be provided with benches and desks.
2. School buildings shall be essentially provided with all services i.e., Electricity, Drinking water, Lavotory , adequate play ground etc.
3. To provide books & Uniform free of cost.
4. Nutritious meal shall be made mandatory.
5. More schools for 3.5 lakh children who are not yet going to schools.
6. All tented schools shall be replaced by Pucca buildings with infrastructure facilities in two years.
7. To arrange half yearly medical inspection of students with free medicines and follow up treatment to ensure their fitness.
8. To set up a Pratibha School ( Modern School ) in each ward for Brilliant Children.

The Head Master/Head Mistress of the school shall be made responsible to ensure proper maintenance and repair of school buildings and infrastructures to provide stipends, scholarships to meritorious students and also to the children coming from poor background.

Improvement of Environment through tree plantation and horticulture : -

Improvement of Environment through tree plantation and gardening of parks. The Corporation through its horticulture department and involvement of peoples residents organizations & Welfare Associations, shall drive a consistent campaign for tree plantation and maintenance of parks to enable the citizens healthy and comfortable breathing. Special care shall be taken to avert the mortality rate of plants.

Public Parks:-

A new system of adoption of parks by Public Sector Undertakings and Public Companies and Residential Welfare Associations shall be introduced.

Special efforts shall be made to set up a zonal park in each zone with recreation facilities and rain shelters.

One park will be developed in each ward exclusively for women with all equipments for their mental & physical development.

Safeguarding Public Health : -

All hospitals and dispensaries run by the Corporation shall be provided with latest medical equipment. It shall be ensured that every poor citizen, child or woman is given treatment and medicines on nominal fee for registration as outdoor patient.

Colony Hospitals:-

More beds will added to the existing Corporation Hospitals and with a well-equipped fleed of Ambulance wehicle shall be adequately available to the citizens.

2 Diagnostic Centres shall be built in each zone with the comprehensive arrangements of facilities like blood test, X-Ray, Scanning, etc and concessional charges shall be collected from the citizens.

Internal cleanliness and sanitation in the Wards shall be preserved. Doctors and Nurses posted in various dispensaries/hospitals under the Corporation shall treat patients with a humane approach. This factor shall be given due consideration while recording their Annual Confidential Reports.

Special Card for People below the Poverty Line for total free Medical Treatment in Municipal Hospitals shall be provided.

Special medication & allowance for pregnant & lactating mothers below the poverty line shall be made availalbe .

Regularisation of Unauthorised Colonies : -

It is the responsibility of a responsible government to provide its citizens proper housing and housings sites. Unfortunately, on account of the complacency of the Government in this regard, the people having found no other option resorted to building their houses in unauthorized colonies.

Effective steps shall be taken to regularize and develop unauthorized colonies on the basis of policy enunciated by Late Prime Minister, Smt . Indira Gandhi, in 1976-77. It will be ensured that all civic amenities are provided in these colonies.

Improvement of Jhuggi , Jhopri Clusters:-

All Jhuggi , Jhopri clusters shall be provided with pucca lanes and and proper drainage, drinking water as well as street lights till they are relocated.

The places of relocation shall be connected with adequate public transport such as Buses., Metro Rail etc. the relocation and rehabilitation of slum dwellers shall be done in a way, which provides them better living conditions and civic amenities.

Re-location of Slums:-

All Slums shall be relocated on places where the slum dwellers shall have better quality of life and shall be made available with all civic facilities including schools, dispensaries and sufficient greenery by way of building parks in phased manner.

Regularisation of Commercial activities in residential areas : -

A policy shall be formulated for the regularization of existing residential premises were a part of the same is being used for commercial activities. Building by laws shall also be amended to permit Commercial use of residential premises located in permissible areas/localities.

Construction/Improvement of Community Centers, Chopals , & Parks:-

Every municipal ward shall be provided and built more community centers and one old age home with full facilities.

Every village shall be provided a Chopal with all facilities including electricity.

No booking charges for marriage ceremonies shall be charged from families whose income is below Rs . 50,000/- per annum. However, widows shall be exempted from any charges for marriages of their sons/daughters.

Sporting Activities:-

Two Gymnasiums/Sports Complex with swimming pool in each zone shall be built with proper infrastructure, so that energy of young people be used and developed constructively.

We will encourage people to create Entertainment/Theme Parks with modern facilities specially, for the children and special permission will be given for this.

Social Welfare Steps : -

Rehabilitation of hawkers, rehri/patri dwellers, and rickshaw pullers. Proper and specific areas shall be earmarked for hawkers, rehri/patri dwellers, and parking of rickshaws. People engaged in this work shall be issued with identity cards showing relevant details and information, so that no unnecessary harassment is caused to them.

At the same time they shall also be subject to rules framed to avoid inconvenience to the citizens at large. For proper parking, places shall be earmarked for rickshaw pullers.

Since, there are large number of working mothers and it is necessary that more crutches should be opened. The MCD will encourage creation of more crutches.

Special facilities shall be provided to Dhobis, Barbers, & Cobblers etc.

Weekly Bazars :-

Petty traders shall have more facilities to operate and maintain weekly bazars in an orderly manner. They shall not be subject to any harassment and victimization by MCD employees or by Police.

Social reforms for Eunuchs:-

To include eunuchs in the list of pensioners to provide them monthly relief as they are the worst sufferers in the society.

Shamshan Bhumies :-

Death is a Universal truth. The Shamshan Bhumies , graveyards, shall be Maintained in such a way that they give a presentable and comfortable look with all facilities such as adequate water, electricity, funeral pyres, wood, greenery, and shady trees and with parking facilities.

Issuance of Birth & Death Certificate:-

No request for these certificates shall be permitted to remain undisposed for more than three days.

Adequate Underground Parking:-

To build adequate underground and other kinds of parking on "Built, Operate & Transfer" (B.O.T.) basis. Whereas necessary suitable by-laws will be amended for the parking sites. Parking places shall also be made available by building subways on major roads.

Cooperative Group Housing Societies:-

It is unfortunate that low & middle-income group families feel as tenants in group housing societies as they have to pay huge monthly maintenance charges. They have not been getting MCD services despite being its voters. The Congress party therefore, plans to formulate a policy to provide essential civic amenities & development on NOC from the society.

Rural Development Programme :-

All roads inter-connecting villages and approach roads shall be rebuilt with adequate drainage system. All internal lanes shall be constructed with stone ( Kota ) with proper drainage. All villages shall be provided with sewerage and drinking water facilities. Villages with a population of 5000 and above shall be provided with a dispensary.

Problems of MCD Employees : -

All the retiring employees shall be paid their dues and compensation what so ever on the date of retirement.

More low cost houses shall be built to provide accommodation to Class IV employees, especially Safai Karmacharies . These houses shall be allotted to both these categories on the market price. And the houses in the category, built earlier shall also be allotted to the employees on the market price with similar conditions.

Machinery to examine and redress grievances of MCD teachers in stipulated time.

Employees Grievance's Board:-

A Board consisting Municipal Councillors , representatives of the respective unions and Senior officials shall be constituted to look into the grievances and demands of the employees for their expeditious and quick disposal.

Generous Assistance to MCD.

More fund released to MCD during the first 3 years of the present Govt. in comparison to fund released by previous government in the entire 5 years term under non-plan:-

This Government has released under non-plan Rs . 1394.76 crores during the first 3 years i.e., from 1999-2000 to 2001-2002 in comparison to Rs . 884.01 crores released by the privious government during the full 5 years term.

Release of plan fund to MCD increased hugely:-

During the first 3 years of Congress government plan fund to MCD has increased termendously . Rs . 1823 crores (approximately) is released under plan to MCD during the first 3 years, of this present government in comparison to Rs . 2037 crores by the privious government in the full 5 year term. On an average the present government has released Rs . 607 crores per annual plan against Rs . 407 crores released by previous government, which is 49% increase (approximately) against 10-15% of annual plan growth rate of Delhi.

A dismal picture of MCD working at a glance under the BJP Regime.

Plan outlay of Delhi Govt. for MCD ( Rs . in Crores )

All this shows lack of will and vision on the part of the MCD under the BJP Regime.

A crucial question to the voters. Does BJP deserve your vote with this poor performance and negligence over the development of the city and maintenance of its services ?

No                      No                       No.

With a clear vision and determination for the service of Delhi Citizens, the only party to be voted t power is Congress.

Yes                      Yes                      Yes