The District Development Committees (DDCs), which were constituted in 1999 as apex bodies to review plan works at district level, would now meet on a regular basis on the last Saturday of every month and the agenda papers for these meetings would be circulated at the beginning of the respective month. This decision was taken at a high-level meeting of all DDCs that was chaired by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit at Delhi Secretariat on Thursday.
At the meeting, which was also attended by Finance Minister A.K. Walia, PWD Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan, Labour Minister Mangat Ram Singhal, all chairmen of DDCs, Development Commissioner, Principal Secretary (Urban Development), and heads of Delhi Jal Board, Municipal Corporation of Delhi and New Delhi Municipal Council, it was also decided that a quarterly review meeting would be convened by the heads of departments and other top officers to evaluate the benefits arising out of the decisions of the DDCs.
Ms. Dikshit also announced that she would review the performance of the DDCs every six months now. This, it was stated, will go a long way in fulfilling the objectives of the DDCs.
The Chief Minister said the Government has also decided to increase the financial annual assistance for each MLA from Rs.10 lakh to Rs.25 lakh from the next financial year. She said all the MLAs from a district had been functioning as member on the DDCs whereas one of them is appointed as Chairman.
The DDCs would be required to accelerate the pace of development at grass-root level and would be involved in the process of plan formulation.
The Chief Minister said while the Government is doing its bit to help in the process, the DDCs should now work to overcome delay in execution of plans. ``The DDCs should also work to coordinate developmental activities at district level. They are a perfect model of delegation of power with the aim to ensure benefits of plans to the common man at district level,’’ she said.
