Times of India 17.09.2009
Govt to seek complete MCD takeover
NEW DELHI: Though the cabinet meeting on Tuesday night "welcomed'' the central government decision to delegate some of its powers over MCD to the city government, it is certainly not something Sheila Dikshit and her ministers are content with.
The government plans to push for an amendment of the Act and a complete handover rather than piecemeal transfer of powers. The cabinet note pointed out how with both the home ministry and the L-G retaining some powers the multiplicity situation vis-a-vis MCD alone may actually get worse in the proposed set-up.
Said a senior official who was present in the meeting: "There are many grey areas as far as Delhi is concerned. We want clarity on this matter. We are writing to them saying this is a good beginning but the process must continue.'' Others were less diplomatic in their choice of words. Said a minister: "The city cannot have a system of parallel governance. After all we give them all their money. We are in the process of drafting the letter and will send it as soon as possible.''
Sources say powers of the central government are defined in 30 sections of the MCD Act of which 20 are now with the lieutenant governor. Twelve of these have been proposed to be given to the city government but eight will remain with the L-G. Powers under another four-five sections will continue to be vested with the central government. "Effectively where there were two levels at which MCD's functioning was earlier regulated, it will now become three. Even in case of a lot of the powers delegated to the city government, the proposal is that they will need the approval of the central government. That is something no government can be happy with. What is the point in giving conditional powers?'' asked a senior official.
Among the powers that will be handed over to the city government include that for delimitation of wards, making of contracts, functioning of ward committees and division of Delhi into zones. In exercising powers like the appointment of the commissioner or ordering dissolution of the civic agency, it needs the central government's nod. However it has been denied the general power to issue directions which the cabinet feels is a serious impediment in ensuring accountability. "It also needs to be clarified to the ministry that the delegation of powers already delegated to Lieutenant Governor and those now proposed to be delegated should be delegated to the chief minister. Else it will amount to perpetuating a situation whereby the subject of local bodies continues as a reserve subject,'' reads a note prepared for the cabinet.
The chief minister had in an interview to Times City some time back talked about how the L-G's powers meant that there was a parallel system of governance in the city. "We would have been okay if it was just about the central government and the city government. This complicated interplay of powers is hardly conducive to administration,'' said another official.
The government plans to push for an amendment of the Act and a complete handover rather than piecemeal transfer of powers. The cabinet note pointed out how with both the home ministry and the L-G retaining some powers the multiplicity situation vis-a-vis MCD alone may actually get worse in the proposed set-up.
Said a senior official who was present in the meeting: "There are many grey areas as far as Delhi is concerned. We want clarity on this matter. We are writing to them saying this is a good beginning but the process must continue.'' Others were less diplomatic in their choice of words. Said a minister: "The city cannot have a system of parallel governance. After all we give them all their money. We are in the process of drafting the letter and will send it as soon as possible.''
Sources say powers of the central government are defined in 30 sections of the MCD Act of which 20 are now with the lieutenant governor. Twelve of these have been proposed to be given to the city government but eight will remain with the L-G. Powers under another four-five sections will continue to be vested with the central government. "Effectively where there were two levels at which MCD's functioning was earlier regulated, it will now become three. Even in case of a lot of the powers delegated to the city government, the proposal is that they will need the approval of the central government. That is something no government can be happy with. What is the point in giving conditional powers?'' asked a senior official.
Among the powers that will be handed over to the city government include that for delimitation of wards, making of contracts, functioning of ward committees and division of Delhi into zones. In exercising powers like the appointment of the commissioner or ordering dissolution of the civic agency, it needs the central government's nod. However it has been denied the general power to issue directions which the cabinet feels is a serious impediment in ensuring accountability. "It also needs to be clarified to the ministry that the delegation of powers already delegated to Lieutenant Governor and those now proposed to be delegated should be delegated to the chief minister. Else it will amount to perpetuating a situation whereby the subject of local bodies continues as a reserve subject,'' reads a note prepared for the cabinet.
The chief minister had in an interview to Times City some time back talked about how the L-G's powers meant that there was a parallel system of governance in the city. "We would have been okay if it was just about the central government and the city government. This complicated interplay of powers is hardly conducive to administration,'' said another official.
