NEW DELHI : The Raj Niwas on Saturday accused AAP-led Delhi government, particularly Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj, of sitting for over seven months on a proposal to temporarily enhance financial powers of MCD Commissioner from Rs 5 crore to Rs 50 crore.
As per officials, the delay is eliciting inactions in the fields of education, health and garbage disposal.
When the L-G invoked his powers by delegating more financial powers to the commissioner, the city government did not send him the related files and stated in a court that the proposal needs approval of the chief minister who is currently lodged in Tihar jail.
“The fact remains that the file was recalled on October 9 last year and the CM was taken into custody on March 21. According to rules, after invoking powers by the L-G, the related files have to be sent within three days,” the official added.
Meanwhile, three reminders were also sent to Bhardwaj on March 15, March 28, and April 2. However, no response was received, the official added further.
At present, the MCD Commissioner has been vested with financial power of Rs 5 crore only. All projects above Rs 5 crore are cleared by the Standing Committee.
However, officials said that in the absence of the Standing Committee for the last-one-and-a-half years, various important projects related to health, sanitation and education are being held up resulting in deprivation of benefits of the scheme to school children and the public.
The AAP having majority in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) House, hit back alleging the L-G wanted all the powers of the civic body to be given to the commissioner who works under him so that he could exercise his will. “The BJP illegally appointed as aldermen by the L-G as a result of which the standing committee could not be formed. The L-G should answer why the MCD commissioner did not bring any proposal worth more than Rs 5 crore,” the AAP alleged in a statement.
AAP govt replies
The BJP had also planned to distribute, among the masses, a chargesheet (Arop Patra) released by Home Minister Amit Shah against the Congress state