Delhi Leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj and Shelly Oberoi Demand Funds for City Infrastructure
Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj and Mayor Shelly Oberoi have urged the central government to allocate Rs 5,243 crore to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) based on the city’s urban population. They argue that the funds are essential for improving infrastructure, particularly roads and drainage.
Press Conference Highlights
During a press conference, Bharadwaj emphasized that the central government provides grants to various urban local bodies based on population. He stated that according to the 2011 census, Delhi’s urban population warrants a grant of Rs 5,243 crore. He noted that other cities like Pune, Bhopal, Ahmedabad, and Chandigarh receive similar grants.
Bharadwaj also mentioned that despite the central government’s grand statements about Delhi being the capital of the entire country, it has not provided the necessary funds to the MCD. He highlighted that the total grant from 2021 to 2026 for urban local bodies is Rs 1.21 lakh crore, calculated based on the 2011 census.
Mayor Shelly Oberoi’s Appeal
Mayor Shelly Oberoi also addressed the press conference, stating that she had written a letter to the Union Finance Minister demanding a budget for the MCD. She pointed out that despite Delhi’s significant tax contributions, the MCD has not received any funds from the central government. Oberoi emphasized the need for funds to revamp the city’s drainage system.
Recent Tragedy
The urgency of the situation was underscored by a recent tragedy where three students died on July 27 after the basement of a building housing a coaching center in Delhi’s Old Rajendra Nagar was flooded following rains.
Doubts Revealed
Saurabh Bharadwaj -: Saurabh Bharadwaj is a politician in Delhi. He works on making the city better by focusing on things like roads and buildings.
Shelly Oberoi -: Shelly Oberoi is the Mayor of Delhi. A mayor is like the head of the city who helps make important decisions.
Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) -: The Municipal Corporation of Delhi, or MCD, is a group that takes care of the city’s services like cleaning streets, fixing roads, and managing parks.
Rs 5,243 crore -: Rs 5,243 crore is a very large amount of money. In India, ‘crore’ is a term used to represent ten million, so this is a lot of money needed for city improvements.
Urban population -: Urban population means the number of people living in a city area. More people in a city means more need for good roads, drainage, and other services.
Infrastructure -: Infrastructure includes things like roads, bridges, and drainage systems. These are important for making sure a city runs smoothly.
Central government -: The central government is the main government of India that makes big decisions for the whole country, not just one city or state.
Tax contributions -: Tax contributions are money that people and businesses pay to the government. This money is used to provide services and improve the city.
Grants -: Grants are sums of money given by the government for a specific purpose, like building roads or improving drainage systems.