How are the RWAs reacting to Delhi Budget 2017?
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How are the RWAs reacting to Delhi Budget 2017?

While the new budget introduces no new taxes, much to the relief of the residents, it does fall short on many counts, including role of RWAs in development work, environmental spending and others.

How are the RWAs reacting to Delhi Budget 2017? Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia presents Delhi Budget 2017

Delhi government’s annual budget presented on March 8 evoked a mixed response from the RWAs and other representative bodies.

Allocation of Rs 11,300 crore for education and Rs 5,736 crore for medical and healthcare, comprising 24 per cent and 12 per cent of the total budget outlay, respectively, has drawn appreciation from many quarters.

Purusottam Bhatt, a resident of East Delhi, lauded the government’s proposal to provide free rides to senior citizens and students (up to 21 years) on DTC buses.

Residents are also happy that no new taxes have been proposed. However, many RWAs are of the view that certain important issues have been left untouched in the budget, particularly environmental issues.

Atul Goel, a member of United Residents’ Joint Action (URJA), an apex body of RWAs in the city, said, “From the perspective of a common man, the budget is good, as no new taxes have been introduced. But, at the same time, it pays no attention to the city’s increasing air pollution. The government, it seems, is not serious about the issue of pollution.”

RWAs, too, don’t figure in the budget. The government has kept its silence on issues, such as the Lokpal Bill, development of RWAs, mohalla (neighbourhood) sabhas and clinics. “Though the RWAs have never been allotted any specific budget even earlier, but as a public representative body, its functioning needs to be specified,” explained BS Vohra, president of East Delhi RWAs Joint Front.  

Vohra added, “Before the Assembly elections, many promises were made regarding the development of RWAs. But it has been three years and all those promises are yet to materialise. We've never asked for money, but carrying out development work in the areas will require joint cooperation between the government and the RWAs.”

SC Bhatia, another RWA representative, said, “Last year, the government said that the annual budget would be prepared after involving the RWAs — but that hardly happened.”  

While presenting the budget for the financial year 2017-18, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the finance portfolio, emphasised primarily on four segments — education, health, transport and water.

Out of a total budget of Rs 48,000 crore, the government allocated 24 per cent towards improvement of education, 12 percent towards medical and healthcare, 11 per cent for transport and 4 per cent for water.

During a press conference after the budget presentation, Sisodia said, “Our prime focus is to provide quality education to the children of all sections of the society. Ever since we formed the government we have been working on the education system. In the last two years, a lot of changes have come about, but they need more development. The city’s public transport, especially DTC buses, is one of our main concerns, and the government is committed towards providing better public transport to the citizens of the National Capital.”