New Delhi:
The Leader of House in the BJP-led SDMC while finalising the civic body’s annual budget on Thursday said provisions have been made to restart Atal Jan Aahar scheme and double the councillors’ development fund. South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Commissioner Gyanesh Bharati had presented revised budget estimates for 2020-21 and budget estimates for 2021-22 at the Civic Centre here in December last year.
Leader of SDMC House Narendra Chawla, leading a discussion on Thursday said, provision has been made to restart Atal Jan Aahar Yojana by remodelling the scheme launched in 2017.
”People will get a thali (plate) for Rs 15. Initially, it will be started with 5 in-built kitchen mobile vans in each zone and later 2 in-built kitchen mobile vans will be made available in each ward of the SDMC,” Chawla was quoted as saying in an SDMC statement.
The standing commitee had recently rejected any hike in taxes in the budget. Seeking to augment its revenue, the SDMC commissioner in the budget had proposed a one per cent education cess, while asserting that efforts will be made to bring more properties under the tax net.
Chawla on Thursday said there is a ”provision to double councillor development fund from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore for each ward”, adding there is a provision of Rs 50 lakh for deputy chairman of each zone by creating a new head of account.
Also, Rs 5 lakh in each ward for installing LED lights at dark spots will be allocated, he added. ”There is provision to provide Rs 10,000 to the councillor of each ward for celebration of national festivals like Republic Day and Independence Day, and Rs 10,000 will be given separately on both the occasions. Provision will be there to hike funds to celebrate festivals like Ramlila, Krishnalila, Chhath Puja from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore,” the statement said.
Also, there will be a provision to bring a policy to sell and supply food items through e-carts, food trucks, buses, etc. and to open food hubs on SDMC lands and parking lots, he said.
Also to allow keeping of an animal (either cow or buffalo) within the house periphery of residents living in rural and urban villages without paying animal tax, has been provisioned, he said. ”Provision to mention name of area councillor on inauguration plate/plaque with name of MP/MLA even if work is being done from MP/MLA fund,” is part of it, the statement said. And, provision is there to place a blue board in all regularised and unauthorised colonies on which house numbers, block number, ward number, etc. will be written, it added.
