The row over who controls Delhi’s bureaucracy escalated yesterday as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia launched a full attack against the Centre for not letting the city government implement some major schemes by pressurising the officers.
“The Delhi government’s scheme of doorstep ration delivery and CCTV installation have been left in a limbo,” Sisodia said, adding, “even though we have decision-making powers, the officers who implement these projects are under the central government, which is deliberately causing obstruction in our work”.
“In a way, BJP (central government) is saying that you have been given the powers to take decisions, keep taking those decisions, but we won’t implement it,” he said.
On July 6, the Delhi government approved doorstep ration delivery scheme but Sisodia said that the officer rejected it by saying that he will ask the law department first. “They are just rotating the files to cause hindrance in the elected government’s work.
“The big question that arises is if the Delhi government is taking a step in stopping black marketing in ration delivery, then why is the central government, through their officers, trying to stop it,” he asked.
He also mentioned the proposal where people working on a contractual basis would be given 20% bonus and how the officers, despite ministers’ approval of the project, rejected the decision.
Sisodia also said the government’s CCTV installation project had again hit a snag due to recommendations made by lieutenant governor’s committee which mandates permission from police before installation.
“According to the recommendations by the lieutenant general’s committee, anyone who wants to install CCTV cameras would have to get police permission. This is a huge setback for women safety,” he said.
Kejriwal added that the licensing process will only increase corruption. “What will police see before giving CCTV licence? On what basis will police give licence? It will only increase bribery. It’s a huge blow to women’s safety because all existing cameras in Delhi will have to be removed till they obtain a licence and all new CCTVs will have to wait for a licence,” he tweeted.
Kejriwal, yesterday also approached Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and told him how the lieutenant governor and Centre were “twisting the orders of the Supreme Court.” “Singh said he will discuss the matter with his officers and meet me again on July 16,” Kejriwal said after the meeting.
Last week, the Supreme Court held that the executive power of the Centre is limited to only land, public order, and police, while the elected government of Delhi enjoys powers on all other subjects, including “services”.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal arrives to attend a special show of Disney’s Aladdin u2013 the Broadway style musical at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in New Delhi yesterday.
