Soon after her return from Fortis Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Monday convened a meeting of the Delhi Cabinet at her residence in which decisions were taken on pushing development works in all unauthorised colonies and to allow educational institutions functioning from non-confirming areas to continue for another academic year, 2012-13.
Following the meeting, Ms. Dikshit said her government was keen to develop unauthorised colonies at the earliest as the residents have been facing difficulties due to lack of proper civic amenities. So the Cabinet has now decided to allow use of Local Area Development funds in the new regularised colonies and also allowed use of other funds for carrying out repairs therein.
“With the recent regularisation of 895 colonies, it has become essential to speed up the developmental works. The Cabinet has decided to enhance the ambit of developmental works in these colonies. Henceforth, the executing agencies would be able to carry out repair works,” she said.
The Chief Minister noted that as per the existing norms laid the roads and drains could only be re-laid or repaired after a stipulated time period. The scope of developmental works in unauthorised colonies does not specifically cover the works of repairs. Due to this, she said, the condition of the existing civic amenities was getting worse.
In view of these issues, the Cabinet has decided to allow the agencies to take up repair works to ensure effective, longer-lasting and well established amenities for the residents.
The Cabinet has also decided to allow utilisation of the Local Area Development Fund for development works in such colonies.
It was also decided that in unauthorised colonies, other than the 895 regularised recently, the development works would be continued or started at the earliest.
The Cabinet has also decided to apply the norms of development meant for regularised unauthorized colonies to the new regularised colonies.
In another decision, in the name of safeguarding interests of students studying in educational institutions functioning in non-confirming areas, the government has decided to extend by another year, the validity of existing no objection certificates – first issued to them for functioning in 2007-08 – by another year so that they may also be able to function in 2012-13.
In a major boost to such institutions, the Delhi Government has also decided to allow them the option of running a second shift. However, these institutes would not be allowed to increase the number of courses.
The Delhi Cabinet decision would benefit the 10 institutes affiliated with Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha Univerity, which were functioning from school premises, two institutes that were functioning from rented buildings in other non-confirming areas, seven diploma level institutes of Training and Technical Education that were functioning from non-confirming areas or school buildings and 14 institutes that were operating out of Lal Dora, extended Lal Dora or agriculture land.
The Delhi Cabinet has also approved a proposal for amendment in the Delhi Water Board Act, 1998 Section 3 to provide for nomination of three councillors as board members in Delhi Jal Board following trifurcation of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.
The Government said as per the existing provision, two members of MCD used to be nominated to DJB by the Mayor. With the three corporations coming into existence, the Government has decided to approve the proposal of nominating one corporator each from all three corporations to the DJB.
