More questions about the functioning of the municipal corporations and its human resources-related concerns were raised by councillors in the past one year than about sanitation, health, education and other civic issues.
According to the Praja Foundation, which released its first-ever annual report card of Delhi councillors on Monday, a total of 18,055 questions or issues were raised by corporators from April 2015 till March 2016.
An analysis of these questions found that administrative issues, including the working of the corporations, funding from the State government, disbursement of councillors’ funds and shortage of staff, got about two to three times more attention than solid waste management, education and health.
Speaking at the launch of the report here, a founding trustee of Praja Foundation, Nitai Mehta, said that most councillors were not asking questions or raising issues about their obligatory functions or even the discretionary duties.
Disconnect
“Why are they elected if not to raise issues that concern citizens? We find that there is a disconnect between the issues of the citizens of Delhi and what the elected representatives are raising,” said Mr. Mehta, referring to both councillors and MLAs.
For instance, in a total of 594 meetings of the House, Standing Committees, Wards Committees and all other committees, councillors asked about the functioning of the corporation and its human resources 2,054 and 1,692 times or a total of 3,746 times.
In comparison, questions about solid waste, education and health were raised 1,593, 1,159 and 1,029 times respectively.
Highlighting the mismatch between public concerns and councillors’ concerns, there were about the same number of questions on drainage and schemes or policies for civic issues each as there were on naming or renaming of roads, buildings etc.
A total of 139 questions were asked about the negligence by staff in the three corporations - almost the same number as those about schemes for community welfare (135).
Step-by-step
Vijay Prakash Pandey, the Leader of the House in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation, where councillors raised 8,011 questions in 285 meetings, said that the functioning of the civic bodies would determine delivery of issues.
“If the functioning and funding improves, so will sanitation, education and other services. That being said the level of debate in the unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi was better, in both the ruling and Opposition parties,” said Mr. Pandey, referring to the more experienced leaders that made up the erstwhile MCD.
Farhad Suri, the Leader of the Opposition in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation, said that the reason that councillors talked of administrative issues more in 2015-16 was because of the changes at the Delhi government.
“The BJP and the AAP have been involved in competitive politics. The AAP government, on its part, is also engaging in partisan behaviour. That is why councillors raised their concerns about financial management and funding from the government,” said Mr. Suri.
With the three corporations going to the polls next year, councillors are now getting into campaign mode, first to secure their party’s nomination and then to defend their record in the public. Mr. Mehta, of Praja Foundation, said he hoped the report card would initiate discussion on accountability of elected representatives.
