Bill to unify civic bodies cleared by Union Cabinet

‘Will ensure welfare of citizens’ says BJP, AAP and Congress slam the move

 NEW DELHI

The financial difficulties faced by the civic bodies after the trifurcation of the erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Delhi in 2012, was the major reason behind the Bill to unify the three bodies, according to sources. The Bill was cleared by the Union Cabinet on Tuesday.

Speaking to The Hindu, a senior civic official said that a meeting between the commissioners of the three corporations — North, South and East – and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) will take place on Wednesday.

Union Cabinet’s decision to clear the Bill follows a meeting between Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior representatives from the BJP’s state unit over the unification exercise here last week. According to BJP sources, the Bill is likely to be tabled on Thursday or Friday, coinciding with the Delhi Assembly’s budget session, which begins on Wednesday.

Sources said the MHA was likely to disburse a tranche of an estimated Rs. 2,000 crore to the unified civic body to begin the process of the corporation ridding itself of its financial liabilities. Party sources said that the move will, administratively, result in two parallel governments - the Delhi government and the unified corporation - which will wield more or less equal powers in the Capital.

Politically, the move is aimed at the creation of a “parallel and more efficient Delhi Model” to be built from the ground up by bureaucrats handpicked by the Centre in time for the Delhi Assembly elections in 2025, party sources added. 

At the moment the precise contours of the unified civic body are yet to emerge -- especially in terms of the composition of its legislature and the executive. However, sources said that the party’s Delhi unit was in favour of the unified MCD “running on the pattern of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC)“ to which “eminent professionals with citizens’ welfare at heart” could be nominated.