Kejriwal announces Rs 10-cr citizens fund for NDMC areas

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday announced setting aside of Rs 10 crore as 'citizens fund' to enable residents of New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) areas to spend as per the priority of public works.

The Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) of the NDMC areas will decide on works to be executed using the sanctioned budget from the fund.

"Rs 10 crore sanctioned in the NDMC budget will now be spent as per the wishes of the area residents. You will be decision-makers of what needs to be done in your area and the priority," said Kejriwal while presiding over a meeting with NDMC Chairperson, officials and more than 80 RWAs.

"We are starting this experiment this year with Rs 10 crore budget. It will be increased after evaluating the results. We will also increase the scope of works depending on the success of this initiative. Division of the funds between RWAs will be done on the basis of number of residential quarters," he added.

The meeting for over an hour at Kejriwal's residence also discussed norms to avail of funds.

"The RWAs will take a decision in their General Body Meetings (GBMs). Before the meeting, notices must be sent to all residents and the NDMC, which in turn will depute its representative to attend. Videotaping of meetings will also be done," the Chief Minister's Office said in a statement.

The GBMs will then discuss the works to be done, prepare their list and then members will vote to prepare a priority list. The list will then be submitted to the NDMC, which will prepare the estimates and execute the works as per the priority set by the RWAs.

Kejriwal later tweeted to call the scheme "direct democracy" wherein people and not the MLAs will decide how the public money be put to use.

"There will be no political or administrative interference in RWA decisions," the CM office said.

--IANS

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