The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government’s Delhi Swaraj Bill 2014, is most likely to come before the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday for deliberations. Taking a cue from late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s Yojna to strengthen Panchayati Raj and 74 amendment of the Constitution to decentralise local bodies, the AAP Government is thinking of involving local people or mohalla people, which will be below the ward level for development activities locally and it is a major poll plank of the party. However, the passage of this Bill is not that easy as there are many stumbling blocks in its way in the form of 25 Acts that need to be amended. The financial implications of the Bill are expected to be over Rs 1,500 crore.
Top sources said that the Bill also proposes to bring any public authority, municipality, Delhi Cantonment Board (under the army) , Delhi Jal Board, Town Planning Authority and Delhi Development Authority (under the Urban Development Ministry) under the local body. “If the Cabinet approves, at least 25 Acts such as MCD Act, NDMC Act, Delhi Cantonment Act, CrPC, IPC, Contract Act, labour Act, Income Tax Act, Companies Act will need to be amended,” sources said.
Sources further stated that the Bill has not cleared whether the Mohalla Sabha is a regulatory body or developmental body. The Bill talks about right to recall 3,000 mohalla sabha members but right to recall is yet to be implemented in the country.
At ward level, there will be a ward area committee chaired by the municipal councilor and will have mohalla sabha representatives of all the mohallas within the ward. The ward committee will maintain, operate and manage dispensaries, child welfare centres, cremation, burial grounds, shelters of children, homeless, baraat ghars and community halls, at ward level. To perform these functions necessary funds will be allocated.