The Delhi Government urged lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal to approve the proposal for the formation of mohalla sabhas in the city in order to give Delhiites power to to carry out development work in their respective localities.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislators discussed about the benefits of constituting mohalla sabhas on the second day of the Monsoon Session at the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday. Delhi Urban Development and Health Minister Satyendar Jain said that the objective of organising these sabhas was to decentralise governance and to empower citizens.
“Once the mohalla sabhas come into existence, the corruption in the system will be done away with. Usually contractors fill their own pockets in the name of developmental work…It will be the first time that common people will be given the power to decide how they are going to utilise their funds for the developmental work in their area,” Jain said.
Requesting the l-G to approve the proposal, Jain claimed that “even the Opposition was with us for the first time on this issue.” The Delhi Government had earmarked Rs 350 crore as ‘Swaraj fund’ for the mohalla sabhas in its 2016-17 Budget. However, the money has remained unspent till date. The AAP Government has blamed the l-G office for not approving the proposal.
However, leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta alleged that it was the Government’s lack of political will that till date has stopped formation of mohalla sabhas. He said that instead of keeping the Rs 350 crore, the Government could use the money that is lying unspent since the last two financial years due to non-completion of several projects.