With the Aam Aadmi Party ‘selling’ the concept of ‘Janata Ka Budget’ – people’s participation in budget making – as a game changer in the way public money is spent, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia made use of this opportunity to connect with the voters in his constituency. At the ‘mohalla sabha’ organised near Sanjay Lake, Mr. Sisodia reminded both the Delhi Police and the mediapersons to stay on the sides and not to come between him and the people gathered at the event.
The deputy CM went around reminding the audience that history was being made with the experiment where people are being asked to raise their hands to choose their project and “not to raise slogans eulogising political leaders as has been the practice in the past”.
While ‘mohalla sabhas’ for budget making was being conducted in East Delhi, senior officials of other revenue districts were also present as special invitees on Sunday to have a hang of the exercise which would be replicated in Assembly constituencies falling in their districts.
Even as they assessed the ‘limitations’ and ‘improvements’ in preparations that would be required to organise the future events, they were also seen observing and discussing the situation of officials being called by the Deputy CM whenever people from the audience registered complaints against a particular department.
The rich tradition of ‘chaupals’ as public engagement exercises has made a comeback in the Capital, with the BJP MPs taking up the issues of development of different localities and urbanised villages, sanitation at public places and public health facilities through them.
Chaupals have started providing on-the-spot resolution of public grievances.
The “Girri chaupal” of East Delhi MP Maheish Girri was organised in Gandhi Nagar, Shahdara and Trilokpuri last week. Mr. Girri said he would address the issues of water and power connections, sewerage lines and improper roads while pursuing “bigger democratic projects in parallel.” The residents and farmers of Chilla were also assured of the MP’s support for their long-pending demand for compensation for land acquired by the government.
Similarly, the urbanised villages falling under the jurisdiction of Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency are to be developed as “model villages” with the construction of ‘chaupals’ as well as construction of new schools and dispensaries.
The Delhi Government's Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes Department has also given clearance to the construction of a “Banjara Chaupal” at a cost of Rs.1.18 crore.
Contribution by Vishal Kant
and Mohammed Iqbal
