Seeking to combat the strong anti-incumbency factor, the ruling BJP in the three municipal corporations is now pulling its socks up for a better performance in its primary job of sanitation and public health.
With the MCD polls likely in April 2017, the BJP is set to face the biggest challenge from debutant Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) because of which the former is gearing up to repaint its reputation with a slew of measures.
The BJP has begun with combating the concept of ‘mohalla clinics’ initiated by the AAP government. On Wednesday, the party announced that the seven MPs of Delhi will make a financial allotment within this year for upgrading one corporation dispensary or ‘health centre’ in each of the 12 zones in the Capital.
The deadline for completing the work has been set as January 1, 2016.
Apart from health centres, the corporations have decided to set up at least two ‘complaint centres’ in every ward for grievances related to sanitation.
This is the first time that such centres are being created, but more importantly, they have promised to resolve issues within 24 hours.
“Continuing the vigour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, all the Mayors of Delhi have jointly decided to set up two to three complaint centres in each of the 272 wards. Operations in these centres will begin next month and working hours shall be from 8 a.m. to 4 pm,” said Subhash Arya, Mayor of South Delhi Municipal Corporation.
When asked why the civic bodies woke up to the cause now, Ravinder Gupta, Mayor of North Delhi Municipal Corporation, preferred to play the usual blame game.
“Due to lack of cooperation previously from the Congress government and now from the Kejriwal government, the civic bodies have not been able to improve its health and maternity centres. We are doing this despite being cash-strapped,” he said.
Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is to be blamed for all the mess. “The CM, who talks about the Delhi Dialogue Commission, should tell people why he did not try for a coordination meeting with the three corporations. The mohalla clinics have also completely failed as not a single clinic has been built after the first one in Peeragarhi,” he said, adding that the civic bodies have decided to end the factory licence system and free the entrepreneurs from inspector raj.
The civic bodies have taken initiatives in the education sector. Harish Malhotra, Mayor of East Delhi Municipal Corporation, said, “Computer training centres in 20 schools will be started in east Delhi during the Navratras and it will be extended to 398 schools by January 26, 2016.”
BJP announced the seven MPs of Delhi will make a financial allotment within this year for upgrading one corporation dispensary or ‘health centre’ in each of
the 12 zones
