East Delhi residents have been dealing with serious sanitation-related issues for the last two years as AAP and BJP play mud-slinging matches over finances and sanitation workers' salaries
Despite facing a severe financial crisis, the BJP-led East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) offered several freebies to residents in its budget on Monday. The civic bodies' elections in the national Capital are scheduled for April, 2017.
East Delhi residents have been dealing with serious sanitation-related issues for the last two years as AAP and BJP play mud-slinging matches over finances and sanitation workers'salaries.
For the last two years, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, also an MLA from the Patparganj constituency in east Delhi, has been attacking BJP for its inability to handle finances, while the latter accuses AAP of politicising the issue. Interestingly, while it has no money to pay salaries to its workers, the corporation is offering freebies to people in the budget.
Presenting the budget proposal for the next fiscal, the corporation's Standing Committee Chairman Jitendra Chaudhary proposed exemption of property tax on residential properties up to 41.81 sqm in size and reduction of conversion charges from Rs 192 to Rs 100 per square metre. The proposed budget will be discussed and finalised by the House with amendments before February 14.
Chaudhary also proposed opening of two diagnostic centres and development of a health check-up kit. "Collection centres would be developed at each corporation dispensary. Heart check-up centres would be developed and health check-up kit would be made available at primary health centres and polyclinics of the corporation for diagnosis of heart-related diseases," the Standing Committee Chairman said.
Easing sanctioning of a building plan, Chaudhary said development of property over an area from 106 sqm to 500 sqm would not require building plan sanction from the corporation. Property owners can get the building plan sanctioned from their architect and then inform the corporation.
Among other proposals, Chaudhary also announced installation of CCTV cameras in all primary schools, opening of two more citizen service bureaus in Khichripur and Karawal, english-medium schools in each of 64 municipal wards, and teaching centres in municipal schools.
Regarding the issue of sanitation, he said an application will be introduced that would include details of all dhalaos and auto-tippers and at least one toilet block exclusively for women and differently-abled will be developed in each ward. "Mobile toilets would be run in east Delhi to free the area from open defecation," he said.
At the end of the budget speech, Chaudhary alleged that due to the non-cooperation of the Delhi government, the corporation has been facing a financial crisis, which is affecting the development work. It is pertinent to mention that EDMC is running a Rs 2,200 crore deficit since its formation.
Sop opera
Residential properties up to 41.81 sqm area to be exempted from property tax as they mostly belong to poor people
Reduction of conversion charges from Rs 192 per sqm to Rs 100 per sqm, and reduction of penalty from 10 to 3 times
Two citizen service bureaus to be opened in Khichripur and Karawal Nagar. The Karawal Nagar centre has been opened for service
An English Model School would be developed in each ward, starting with Kaushik Puri in Ward 235
Teaching centres for parents to be opened in municipal schools
Science clubs to be developed in municipal primary schools
The corporation would recruit yoga teachers in schools to develop mental and physical health of students
Life insurance for municipal students doubled from Rs 50,000 per student to Rs 100,000
Development of property over an area from 106 sqm to 500 sqm would not require building plan sanction from the corporation
Open air gyms to be developed in municipal parks
An amusement centre to be developed in Tahirpur
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