The Hindu 11.03.2011
MCD to set up resident ward panels
To introduce more transparency, boost public participation and promote
co-operation between the residents’ welfare associations and the
municipal councillors in civic decision making, the Municipal
Corporation of Delhi has given the go ahead to a proposal for setting up
of a Resident Ward Committee (RWC) in each of the civic body’s 272
wards.
The nod was given by Delhi Mayor Prithvi Raj Sawhney on
Thursday. The RWC would be constituted by involving one representative
from each RWA within a ward and would be chaired by the councillor of
the ward.
Speaking on the occasion of the launch of the scheme,
Mr. Sawhney lauded the role of Citizen Group ‘People’s Action’ which has
been lobbying for such a proposal since 2007 after a resolution was
passed unanimously at the Delhi RWA Convention.
According to the civic body, the RWC would operate like a
consultative group where all RWAs within a ward can prioritise their
needs and communicate these in a formal meeting to the municipal
councillor of the area. “This would bring a new level of accountability,
transparency and trust between the elected representatives and
residents,” said the Mayor.
Each RWC would have to meet the basic criteria of
holding one meeting every month and minutes of the meeting would have to
be submitted to the the Mayor’s office.
