Maken vows to make civic bodies financially self-reliant

Gearing up for municipal polls, Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken today alleged "corruption and pilferage of resources" at the three BJP-ruled civic agencies, claiming that Congress will make the "financially-ailing" corporations "self-reliant" in two years if voted to power.

Congress will come out with a roadmap on fiscal management and resource generation to make civic agencies financially self-reliant, he said.

"The three municipal corporations in Delhi could be self- reliant if there is no corruption and pilferage of resources like revenue from toll tax, property tax, advertisement charges," Maken alleged.

"We will make the civic bodies self-reliant in two years after winning municipal elections," he said.
 

An expert working group will prepare the roadmap titled 'Self reliant MCDs' which will be released in public domain on February 28, the Delhi Congress President said.

"If GMR, which operates the Delhi Airport, could collect revenues at par with the three MCDs through outdoor advertisements, then the MCDs should be generating more money to shore up its finances," he said.

The party will come out with three more working papers highlighting its roadmap for improving solid waste management, health and primary education services rendered by the civic corporations, Maken said.

Delhi Congress will set up a control room to take feedback from party workers about applicants for party ticket in the municipal elections scheduled in April.

The partymen seeking to contest municipal elections have been asked to furnish names of five party members alongwith their bio-data from each polling booth in their ward. The control room personnel will talk individually to the workers and leaders whose list will be provided by applicants and their feedback will be used in deciding party candidates, the former Congress MP from New Delhi constituency said.

The last date of filing applications for party ticket in municipal elections is February 15, Maken added.