Sher

ADDRESS

OF

SHRI P. K. DAVE

HON'BLE LT. GOVERNOR, DELHI

TO

The First Delhi Legislative Assembly

(Budget Session)

23rd MARCH, 1995

           Mr. Speaker, Sir and Hon’ble Members,

1. It is both a pleasure and a privilege to welcome you to the second Budget Session of the Legislative Assembly of Delhi.
2. I wish to take this opportunity to highlight the major initiatives and achievements of the government and also future plans for improving quality of life of citizens of Delhi. One year may be a small period of time, but, the year has been packed with initiatives and achievements which can do any Government proud.
3. My Government has been fully conscious of the problems facing the people of Delhi – problems of population, pollution, congestion, shortages of power and water and housing, and above all insanitation and has been endeavouring its utmost to tackle them. The Government is determined to make Delhi beautiful, green and clean and to improve its ecology and environments.
4. The endeavour of my Government last year was to improve roads. Being the basic urban infrastructure, their maintenance and upkeep will continue to receive unremitting attention of the Government. The challenge of plague elicited most vigorous response from my Government and this occasion was turned into an opportunity to set new standards in hygiene, sanitation and to maintain them consistently at high level. In the coming year, sanitation and cleanliness will receive even higher priority. The Government is fully aware that insanitation and uncleanliness are the prime causes of urban decay. Delhi Government will observe 1995-96 as the year of cleanliness and sanitation. Towards this end, for each Assembly constituency one suction pump, one loader and 4-5 truck tippers would be provided in the coming year.
5. My Government has always shown most conscientious concern for the welfare of our disadvantaged brothers, living in more than one thousand jhuggi jhonpri clusters, unauthorized colonies and slums and has been making utmost efforts to provide proper sanitation, health and safe drinking water to them. In the coming year, Government proposes to augment these through a network of mobile dispensaries to bring these facilities at their doorsteps. The Government has also been paying special attention to the problems of the rural areas, as well as the neglected Trans-Yamuna Area.
6. Our road network has reached a saturation point. Roads are also over burdened. Delhi can no longer depend on road transportation only. Additional mode of transport has become an imperative necessity and my Government is seriously applying itself to work out a viable modal supplement.
7. Delhi got popular rule through elected Legislative Assembly and Council of Ministers after a period of thirty-six years. The elected Government has lived upto the hopes and aspiration of the people. Their grievances are now being attended to promptly and sympathetically. My Government has also made conscious efforts to making working of all the departments transparent, responsive and accountable. Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Delhi Electric Supply Undertaking have received special attention of the Government and it has been a determined effort of the Government to make them more functional and productive so that satisfactory civic services are provided to all the citizens. The special sanitation drives organized by the Government have yielded most gratifying results. The Government has also tried hard to inculcate work and service culture in D.E.S.U. to ensure that consumer receive power on sustained basis and at equitable rates and the losses are minimized.
8. Education which promotes human dignity and self-reliance, has been receiving concentrated attention of the Government. The Government is committed to meet the Constitutional obligation of providing free and compulsory education to all children, until they complete the age of 14 years. It also plans to make education upto the 12th standard free. Similarly, technical education, provision of medical services and social welfare programmes have been attended to with great care and attention.
9. The Government has taken initiatives on issues and problems which were pending for a number of years. The proposals suggested by my Government require prior approval of the Central Government and matters are now pending there. The Government is making unremitting efforts to get the approval of the Central Government. Some of these are :-
  1. Implementation of the recommendations of Chattopadhyaya Commission in respect of school teachers;
  2. Reduction of conversion charges of lease hold properties;
  3. Regularisation of the unauthorized colonies which were in existence on or before 31.3.93.
  4. Creation of nine Districts in Delhi.
  5. Defining the status of Delhi in regard to both reserved and transferred subjects so that powers, functions and responsibilities of the Government of Delhi and its relationship with the Central Government are clearly spelled out. Lack of clarity had been affecting the functioning of Government. Even the Plan size of Delhi could not be determined because status of Delhi as Union Territory or deemed State in respect of Central Plan assistance had not been defined.
  6. Early implementation of the recommendations of Cadre Review Committee regarding Group ‘A’ status to Delhi, Andaman & Nicobar Island Civil Services and introduction of 4th scale.
10. The Planning Commission has approved an outlay of Rs.1720 crores for the financial year 1995-96 as against Rs.1560 crores for the current Annual Plan. This represents 10.25% increase over the outlay for the year 1994-95. The total outlay includes Rs.270 crores as Central Assistance. For 1995-96 my government expects to get further Central Assistance from the Central Government for two schemes – involving the setting up of 14 sewage treatment plants and mechanization of conservancy & sanitation services. During 1994-95, the Central Assistance was Rs.239 crores out of which an amount of Rs.184.5 crores has been unfortunately diverted by the Central Government towards overdue payment of DESU to BTPS. The Government had protested against this diversion.
11. The salient achievements of my Government during 1994-95 and some of the significant plans of the next year are as follows :-
EDUCATION :
  1. In the year under review, the Government has opened 59 primary and 13 middle schools; 44 schools have been upgraded to secondary or senior secondary level and three degree colleges have been opened. Public libraries are being opened in every Assembly Constituency. In addition, moral and physical education is also given equal emphasis. A curriculum has been evolved and moral education made compulsory in all the schools. Sports are being encouraged in all the schools. New disciplines in sports, particularly, Kabaddi, Kho-kho, Wrestling and Judo are being popularized because they are very affordable in cost. Outstanding players have been honoured. Competitions and tournaments are being organized at national level. First Commonwealth Archery Games were organized with great success.
  2. 1776 posts were filled to equip the schools for quality education. The deprived and helpless sections of the society like Kashmiri migrants are shown special consideration in matters of appointment.
  3. For effective supervision and control, Delhi is being divided into 9 Education Districts co-terminus with Police Districts to have manageable units. Education Department is being computerized for efficient functioning.
  4. Massive total literacy campaign has been launched and will be pursued with determination. I appeal to the elected representatives to participate whole-heartedly in this noble mission.
TECHNICAL EDUCATION :
Improvement of technical education has assumed special importance in view of present liberalization policies at the National level. This has been emphasized in all Vocational Training Centres and ITIs, Polytechnics and institutes of Technology and Colleges of Engineering. A proposal to secure status of ‘DEEMED UNIVERSITY” for Delhi Institute of Technology, has been formulated for approval of the Government of India. Better status would surely lead to excellence in education for which the faculty is already working in a dedicated way.
In the year 1995-96, special campaign will be undertaken to motivate street and working children to join schools instead of coming on to the streets. Education facilities will be expanded by opening 60 composite schools and 15 middle schools, and upgrading 25 middle schools to secondary schools and 25 secondary schools to senior secondary schools. Three more colleges will also be opened.

Similarly, 2 new Polytechnics and 5 new Industrial Training Institutes will be opened to promote technical education. Extension Centres will be added under the community polytechnic programme to provide need based training to the rural population and those in the resettlement colonies.

The following schemes have also been announced to facilitate spread of education :-
  1. Free education upto 12th standard in all Government schools.
  2. Mid-day meals scheme for all needy and poor children in primary schools of the Government.
  3. Free DTC passes to all the students of the colleges and the universities. At present, only students belonging to SC/ST and economically weaker sections are beneficiaries under the scheme.
The Government would also fill up all the existing vacancies of teachers during 1995-96. The construction of new building of Delhi College of Engineering at Bawana Road is under consideration while the construction of Delhi Institute of Technology at Papan Kalan will be taken up.
HEALTH :
My Government had launched a massive programme of pulse polio immunization. Over 12 lakh children were administered two dosages of polio drops in Delhi in October & December,1994 in an attempt to make Delhi the first polio free city in the country. A separate State Drug Authority has been constituted for ensuring purchase of quality drugs and a new Drug Policy has also been announced. In order to expand the homoeopathic system of medicine, 5 new homoeopathic dispensaries have been opened. O.P.D. timings in the hospitals have been extended by one hour. Three regional blood transfusion centres in L.N.J.P. Hospital, DDU Hospital and G.T.B. Hospital have been started for making safe blood available. A special Measles Immunisation Programme has been launched by my Government from 18.3.95 for one month to improve children health status. My Government proposes to :-
  1. construct a 100 bedded Guru Gobind Singh Hospital at Raghubir Nagar;
  2. start the construction work of 500 bedded Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Hospital at Rohini; and
  3. a 100 bedded Hospital at Pooth Khurd.
A joint sector Super Speciality Hospital of 600 bed capacity will also be commissioned at Sarita Vihar during 1995-96.

An occupational and Environmental Medicine Clinic is shortly being started in L.N.J.P. Hospital which will be the first of its kind in the country. A homoeopathic hospital is also being set up at Karampura. Special measures are being taken for effective management of dreaded diseases like Tuberculosis and AIDS. My Government is keen to promote the indigenous Ayurvedic System of medicine. A Centre for Research in Ayurveda will be set up in 1995-96 for research, and cures of diseases like Cancer, AIDS, Diabetes, Cirrhosis etc. A separate Directorate for Ayurvedic System of Medicines will be set up. All the hospitals and other health service centres have been declared NO SMOKING ZONE.
URBAN DEVELOPMENT :
Delhi, being a vast and fast growing metropolitan city, all aspects of urban development have to be taken care of meticulously. Because of reasons of history, some areas of Delhi have lagged behind in development. Trans-Yamuna area is one of them and needs special attention for which purpose a separate autonomous Trans-Yamuna Development Board has been constituted. A proposal to give it a statutory status is being considered.

There are numerous unauthorized colonies, jhuggi-jhonpri clusters, slums and resettlement colonies in Delhi where basic amenities are not upto the desired standard. My Government has recommended regularization of 1071 unauthorised colonies which were in existence on or before 31.3.93. Pending approval of the Central Government for the regularization, it has been decided to grant water and electricity facilities to all eligible persons in these colonies. Government also plans to construct roads, parks, pavements and drains in these colonies to improve the general sanitation. Conservancy and sanitation work in these unauthorized colonies will also be taken up by MCD on regular basis in 1995-96.

A Slum Board has been constituted so that concentrated attention could be paid for the upgradation of slums.

To decentralize planning process and take it to grass-root levels, a scheme was formulated and provision of Rs.100 lakhs was made for each assembly constituency for improvement of roads, parks, street lights, drinking water, especially in the areas lacking these facilities.

My Government recognizes that living with dignity is the right of all citizens. Nothing can be more undignified than compulsion of going for defecation in the open. In order to protect the self-respect and privacy of the individual, Government is keen to give top priority to the construction of Sulabh Shouchalayas wherever they are required. My Government has also been persuading the Ministry of Railways and other Central Ministries to grant permission to construct Sulabh Shouchalayas on their land which are in the neighbourhood of such jhuggi jhonpri settlements.

Roads are the important arteries of the city and must remain unclogged. During the last year, special attention was paid to widening of roads, dense carpeting, improvement of central verges, footpaths and construction of storm water drains. Fly-overs have been constructed to overcome transportation bottlenecks. Work of construction of fly-overs has been taken up at Raja Garden and Tilak Nagar. Fly-overs at Ashram Chowk and Peera Garhi Chowk are planned. Several sub-ways have also been constructed for the benefit of pedestrians.

With the coming up of high rise commercial and industrial complexes, strengthening and modernization of the Delhi Fire Services has assumed urgency. Since this would require huge financial investments, it became necessary to transfer Delhi Fire Service from M.C.D. to Government of Delhi as was recommended by the Balakrishnan Committee. The Government has now assumed direct responsibility for proper maintenance and functioning of Delhi Fire Service.

I repeat the determination of the Government that in the year 1995-96 sanitation and cleanliness will receive highest priority and maximum attention.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT :
Planned development of rural areas has also received utmost attention of the Government. An amount of Rs.50 crores has been allocated under the Mini Master Plan Scheme for its development. Construction of approach roads in 124 villages has been undertaken. Massive tree plantation programme has been launched and Delhi Ridges have been declared as reserve forests. Government has also ensured that the farmers get the compensation of their acquired land promptly at their door-steps. For the coming year, special attention would be paid to the construction of Sulabh Shouchalayas, fencing of Gaon Sabha lands, construction and renovation of Panchayat Ghars and Chaupals, Stadia, Play-grounds, Vyayam-shalas etc.
ENERGY :
Power, being one of the vital needs of daily life of citizens, the Government is making all efforts to increase generation and streamline distribution. The maximum demand of power in Delhi touched 1820 MW in June,94 and 1890 MW in January,95. Keeping in view the power requirements of Delhi in the next 10 years, Delhi Government has signed an MOU with other participating States for the execution of Parwati Hydro Electric Project in Himachal Pradesh. Our share in this Project is 15% and on its completion by 9th Five Year Plan, Delhi will get about 270 MW electricity.

As a result of efforts made, Raj Ghat Thermal Power Station showed an overall PLF of 69.29%. The Gas Turbine Station at Indra Prastha Estate also showed an overall PLF of 82.78%.

A prestigious project of laying of 220 KV-XLPE Cable from IP Station Extn. To Park Street and commissioning of 220 KV CIS has been completed to strengthen High Voltage Transmission. A new 220 KV grid Station has also been commissioned at Lodhi Road along with the associated double circuit line over a distance of 4.2 KMs. For strengthening the intermediate level HT transmission system Grid Stations of 66 KV and 33 KV each were commissioned at Bindapur and Geeta Colony and East of Kailash respectively.

To make the bill payment more consumer friendly, five on line computerized bill collection centres have been started.

To meet the rapidly growing demand of power, 3 units of waste heat recovery being installed at IP Gas Turbine Station will be commissioned during 1995-96, which will generate additional 102 M.W. The Power Purchase Agreement for establishment of a New Gas Turbine Station at Bawana with the participation of private sector is likely to be finalized shortly. This project will generate 450 MW. A 400 KV ring is being laid around Delhi to bring bulk power to Delhi from the centrally sponsored schemes that are coming up in the northern region. It is expected that at least 2 sections of this ring would be completed during 1995-96.
WATER :
A Historic agreement on the sharing of Yamuna Water was signed by Delhi and 4 other Riparian States namely, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Himachal Pradesh. This accord secured 0.724 BCM (consumptive) additional raw water to Delhi. This will provide much needed relief to the people of Delhi.

A MOU has also been signed between Government of Haryana and Delhi for the construction of a parallel water carrier system from Munak to Haiderpur Water Treatment Plant, and the work has already been started. This parallel system will reduce seepage losses.

To augment water supply, a 40 MGD Water Treatment Plant at Nangloi and Rennywells of 10 MGD capacity will be commissioned.
TRANSPORT :
An additional mode of rapid transportation is the imperative need for Delhi. The Government of India has already cleared the proposal for a Mass Rapid Transit System for Delhi. However, MRTS will take considerable time for implementation. For meeting the immediate transportation needs of Delhi, a proposal to introduce high speed Tram system on elevated tracks has been approved by the Ministry of Surface Transport in consultation with Delhi Government. Modalities of funding and execution and other issues are being worked out. To meet the immediate transport requirement of buses, Government proposes to add 1000-1500 additional buses in the fleet of buses of Delhi.

To de-congest the ISBT at Kashmere Gate, the Government of Delhi has decided to establish two more ISBTs, one each at Anand Vihar and Najafgarh. The ISBT at Sarai Kale Khan is already functioning.
POLLUTION :
Pollution has become a serious problem in Delhi. Delhi is already the 4th most polluted city in the world. The Government is contemplating a series of measures to reduce vehicular pollution.

The Government is determined to improve the ecology of Delhi. Several steps have been taken to contain pollution. These are :-
  1. Setting up of a Delhi Pollution Control Committee.
  2. Awarding of work for setting up 11 Sewage Treatment Plant at the cost of Rs.135 crores for abatement of pollution of river Yamuna
  3. Proposal to give subsidy for installation of catalytic converters on two-three wheelers.
  4. Sealing of Industries spreading pollution.
SOCIAL WELFARE :
The schemes for the welfare of the orphans and the destitute, physically and mentally handicapped, drug addicts, defenceless women, widows and the aged are being implemented through a network of residential institutions and non-institutional services.

Two new senior Citizen Homes have been started at Green Park and Kalkaji. The work of construction of a third Senior Citizen Home at Alipur is in progress.

The welfare of women has been upper-most on the agenda of the Government. In the coming year, the Government plans the following for their welfare :-
  1. Setting up 2-3 hostels for working women;
  2. Running Special Women Buses on selected routes;
  3. Setting up of Women Commission;
  4. Provision of Public urinals for women etc.
SC/STs constitute the weakest sections of society. Providing them educational and self-employment opportunities has been a priority area of my Government. To generate self-employment opportunities amongst SC/ST, an amount of Rs.255 lakhs has been sanctioned. To provide financial support to meritorious students belonging to weaker sections for pursuing their studies at college level, a scheme has been launched to provide scholarships @ Rs.100/- per month to these students. Plight of SC/ST widows is engaging our special attention. To enable SC/STs widows to meet their social obligations, financial assistance of Rs.5000/- is being given for marriage of their daughters.

The Delhi Scheduled Caste Financial Development Corporation Ltd. has given loans to members of scheduled castes for gainful self-employment. Loans have been given to 1373 persons for self-employment, 244 persons for TSRs and 69 for plying Red Line Buses. Training has been imparted to 1170 ST candidates for various vocations. 232 work-sheds are being allotted to such persons.

I am glad to inform the Hon’ble Members that the list of OBCs for Delhi has since been finalized and notified.
TOURISM :
Delhi Government is taking various measures to promote tourism and beautify Delhi. These include :-
  1. Construction of 10 musical gardens in various parts of the city.
  2. Light and Sound Shows at Purana Qila.
  3. Improvement of Naini and Prasad Nagar Lake.
  4. Coffee Home-cum-Media Centre at Shaheed Park, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg.
  5. Coffee Home at Indira Gandhi International Airport.
SALES TAX :
To provide relief to traders, the Sales Tax procedures have been simplified and rationalized and limit of taxable sales raised from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.2.5 lakh for traders, and from Rs.30,000/- to Rs.1 lakh for manufacturers. To provide relief to common consumers, some items of common use have been exempted and on some items rates reduced.

To further rationalize the tax structure and to achieve more efficient collection of tax, my Government proposes to reduce the number of slabs to the minimum possible; to reduce use of forms and to speed up full scale computerization in the Sales Tax Department, etc. My Government is in agreement with other States in the Northern Zone to bring about uniformity in the tax rates in the Northern Zone. The objective is to agree upon a floor rate for specific items. This will obviate the possibility of “rate war” that is prevalent now.
CO-OPERATION :
For the benefit of Co-operative Group Housing Societies, the concept of “ONE WINDOW SERVICE” was introduced by my Government and rules for Group Housing Societies simplified. Two Sehkari Bazars were organized for giving a boost to Co-operative Movement in Delhi and 21 “Apna Bazars” were opened as retail outlets of Delhi Consumer Co-operative Wholesale Store.
INDUSTRY :
To ensure better employment opportunities to educated unemployed, small scale industrial estates have been set up in Narela and Patpar Ganj. Industrial and commercial units in non-conforming areas set up till 31st December,1993 have been granted ad-hoc registration.
LABOUR :
I am glad to inform you that after the latest revision, Delhi is giving highest minimum wages to workers.
PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM :
The public distribution system is being strengthened to hold the price line and check inflation. To improve the supply of levy sugar, marketing and supply has been taken over by Government of Delhi from the Food Corporation of India.

In order to ensure the availability of wheat, rice and sugar at reasonable rates to ration card holders who are economically weak, Government has decided to locate 30 trucks in different localities of Delhi where the Fair Price Shop owners have resigned due to high rental value of business premises or other reasons. The Government has decided to increase the number of Food & Supply Circle Offices from 61 to 70.

Two District Forums are being set up for redressal of grievances of consumers.

Government of Delhi is exerting its utmost in every field for the welfare of the citizens. The measures taken or proposed to be taken in various spheres are being briefly spelt out by me :-
  1. Property tax structure has been simplified and a self-assessment procedure has been introduced.
  2. Keeping in view of the sacredness of the last rites of dipping the dead body in holy waters, a confluence of holy waters of Yamuna & Ganga has been created and a Sangam Ghat has been built at Nigam Bodh. The construction of a bathing ghat along the Yamuna banks named “Sur Yamuna Ghat” on the pattern of Har Ki Pouri has also been taken up by D.D.A.
  3. An Act has been passed for “Cow Protection and Support”, Government proposes to set 10(ten) Gau Sadans through non-Governmental organization. Land has already been allotted for the purpose to them and MOUs signed.
  4. In view of the increased responsibilities of MCD, a New City Centre of adequate size has been taken in hand at Minto Road at a cost of Rs.100 crore. This will be its new Headquarters.
  5. For providing civic amenities and medical facilities to pilgrims who return bare-foot from Hardwar to their homes, Kavaria Committee is proposed to be set up.
  6. Efforts are being made to shift the fruit and vegetable market from Tilak Nagar to Keshavpuram and to shift the fodder market from Zakhira to Mangolpuri. New markets at Narela and Gazipur will be completed this year.
  7. Relief of Rs.10 crore has so far been disbursed to migrants of J&K and Punjab.
  8. For promoting Sindhi Language, a Sindhi Academy has been established.
  9. Punjabi has been accorded all the facilities of a second language in Delhi.
  10. To provide a clean and efficient administration, the Government has decided to set up the Lok Ayukt. A proposal in this regard has been sent to Government of India for approval. A decision has also been taken for setting up a Public Grievances Commission. This proposal has also been sent to Government of India for approval.
  11. The work of issuing of Photo Identity Cards to voters is in an advanced stage of completion. In many Assembly Constituencies, Photo Identity Cards have already been distributed.
  12. To honour the freedom fighters, pension of the freedom fighters has been increased to Rs.500/- per month uniformly. To facilitate its payment, arrangements have been made to draw the freedom fighters pension through Banks w.e.f. 1.1.95.
12. I have tried to highlight the policies and programmes and the priority and thrust areas that my Government has identified for implementation in the coming year. I am sure, with your guidance, help and co-operation and the dedication and hard work of the Officers and staff of the Government and local bodies etc; the Government will be able to implement its programmes successfully and fulfil its commitments to the people.
13. In this session of the Assembly, besides, the presentation of the Budget, Legislative Business proposed to be transacted includes Delhi Medical Council Bill, the Delhi(Places of Public Work or Use and Public Service Vehicles), Prohibition of Smoking Bill,1995 and the Delhi Artificial Insemination(Human) Bill,1995.
14. In the next few days you will have an opportunity to discuss the Budget, the Plan programmes and the policies of the Government included therein. I am sure the Government will benefit from your suggestions.
15. May I conclude by wishing you all success in your deliberations.
JAI HIND !!
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