The North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Wednesday proposed that any person or institution can buy name tags of a public place or property in return for its maintenance, an idea that was “vehemently rejected” by the Opposition. Municipal Commissioner Praveen Gupta made the proposal in the corporaton’s budget.
“We realised that apart from places and properties being named after historic and eminent people, common people could also get a park, street, school, community centre, hospitals named as per their choice to bring in extra revenues.
“It is like people paying extra to get a VIP car number. And the earning could be used in maintaining such properties,” he said. Congress councillor and leader of Opposition Mukesh Goel said the move was “inappropriate” and “illogical”.
“How can the commissioner suggest a ‘VIP car number-like system’ for public propertiesIJ The comparison is absurd and illogical. And, we as an Opposition vehemently oppose the move,” he said.
Chairman of NMC’s Standing Committee, Mohan Bhardwaj said, “There is a procedure in getting a place or property named. And, the merit of the proposal would be analysed and examined on social and moral grounds by the Naming Committee before giving any approval,” Bhardwaj said. According to the municipal rule, the proposal is first examined on a zonal-level by its ward committee and then it comes under the Naming Committee, headed by the Mayor.
The Standing Committee then tables it in its meet and the final approval is given by the municipal House.