Congress manifesto for the Delhi Assembly election

The party manifesto, the first part of which was released on Friday, promised to bring down power bills by almost 50 per cent while waiving the "inflated water bills" generated after the Congress was thrown out of power.

January 24, 2015 01:23 pm | Updated April 02, 2016 01:10 am IST

ongress leaders Rajkumar Chauhan, Arvinder Singh, Ajay Maken, A.K. Walia and Delhi Congress in-charge P.C. Chacko releasing the party manifesto on Friday.- Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma

ongress leaders Rajkumar Chauhan, Arvinder Singh, Ajay Maken, A.K. Walia and Delhi Congress in-charge P.C. Chacko releasing the party manifesto on Friday.- Photo: Sushil Kumar Verma

Our Achievements and promises

• 895 unauthorized colonies regularized. The remaining unauthorized colonies would also be regularized.

• Orders for registration of properties in 312 unauthorized colonies issued.

• Development works in 1500 unauthorized colonies started.

• Reduction in levy of sewer development charges from residents of unauthorized colonies. If the Congress comes back to power, no charges would be levied for sewer connection.

• Norms for construction on agricultural land (Section 81 of Delhi Land Reforms Act) liberalized, benefiting lakhs of families.

• Ownership rights given to 45 resettlement colonies benefiting 45 lakh persons.

• 66 Flyovers, 67 footover bridges & 29 underpasses constructed, against only 9 flyovers till 1998.

• Road length increased from 26,700 kms in 1998-99 to 32,000 kms in 2013.

• About 3600 kms of old water pipelines replaced.

• Water connections increased from 12 lakhs in 1998 to 19.65 lakhs in 2013.

• Subsidy in water bills to 85% domestic subscribers.

• Access to Piped Water to more than 82% population.

• Uninterrupted electricity supply ensured.

• Power in Delhi at prices lower than Metro Cities (Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Bangalore) and NCR Towns (Noida, Gurgaon, Ghaziabad) & most states.

• Electricity consumers increased from 22 lakhs in 1998 to 45 lakhs in 2013. Per capita consumption increased from 1170 units in 1998 to 1651 units in 2013 (i.e. 42%)

• 3,133 old DTC bueses plying in 1998, replaced by new 5,900 buses. Would ensure a minimum of 11000 buses on Delhi roads.

• 2,100 new bus stops constructed.

• Budget outlay increased from Rs. 4,073 crores in 1997-98 to Rs. 37,450 crores in 2103-14.

• Delhi spent 65% of budget on social sector.

• Fiscal deficit less than 1% of State GDP, indicator of a healthy financial position.

• 370 new dispensaries opened. Increase in hospitals to 38, Super Speciality Hospitals to 10 and Blood Banks to 65.

• Number of ambulances increased from 25 in 1998 to 16 in 2013. Also, 21 Ultra Modern Life Support Ambulances added.

• Health check up of over 10 lakh school children, treatment done free of cost.

• Over 45 lakh OPD patients and about 1.4 lakh patients treated under EWS category in private hospitals.

• Annashree Scheme, (Rs. 600 to each family), India’s first direc to cash transfer scheme for food security. 1.2 lakh families already benefited.

• 31 lakh persons given food security under National Food Security Act.Delhi amonst the first.

• 45 Mobile Jan AaharCentres providing food at Rs. 18 per meal.

• 20 AapkiRasoiCentres providing free food to homeless and destitute persons.

• 11,000 AaganwadiCentres covering more than 9 lakh children and more than 3 lakh pregnant/lactating women and adolescent girls for supplementary nutrition.

• 130 Gender Resources Centres for women empowerment set up. 100 AwazUthao collectives with focus on community involvement in support of women in distress, formed in vulnerable area.

• Successful launch of exclusive Women Helpline Number (181) for women in distress.

• Five Fast Track Courts set up for speedy trail of cases of sexual abuse.

• 7 Child Welfare Committees constituted for care/protection of children in need.

• 6.30 lakh beneficiaries covered under Ladli Scheme.

• Free Sanitary Napkins made available to more than 7 lakh girl students in Kishore Yojna.

• Prevention of Children from Sexual Offence Act, 2012 (POCSO) implemented.

• Financial assistance to 100 RescreationCentres for senior citrizens.

• Rs. 200 crore disbursed in the last year as financial assistance/scholarships etc. to SC/ST/OBC/Minority Students.

• Raised old age pension from Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 1,500 for minority communities and SC/ST.

• Financial assistance to SC/ST/OBC/Minorities disbursed to 8.73 lakh students for purchase of stationary in 2012-13.

• Scholarship to SC/ST/OBC/Minorities 6.5 lakh students in 2012-13.

• More than 1.5 lakh building and construction workers registered in Delhi for various welfare schemes.

• Pass perscentage in 10th class rose to 99.45% in 2012-13as compared to around 32% in 1997-98.

• 9 lakh students benefiting from Mid Day Meal Scheme.

• Dropout rate brought down from 7.2% to less than 2%.

• Re-employment of teachers in Government and private schools increased up to 65 years. 15,000 posts of teachers created in last 5 years.

• 48% children pursuing higher education, the highest in the country, as against national average of 15%.

• Six Academies including Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, Maithili and Bhojpuri, Sindhi, Sanskrit and Sahitya Kala Parishad have taken culture to the doorstep of citizens. Delhi Children’s Academy constituted.

• Guru TegBahadur Memorial, a World Class Sculpture – a tourist destination with light and sound show.

• 2 DilliHaats, 1 Nature Bazar & Garden of Five Senses – attracting a large number of tourists.

• Enactment of “Delhi Right to Time Bound Delivery of Services Act, 2001” – 116 services covered.

• Implemented e-Stamping and e-Court fee System.

• “Bhagidari” – a unique initiative – making democracy a living experience. More than 3500 Citizens Groups registred.

• “My Delhi I Care” entitlement increased from Rs. 50 lakhs per district to Rs. 5 crores per district. Besides, financial assistance to individual RWAs of Rs. 1 lakh a year.

• Setting up of Delhi Parks and Garden Society for improving parks in colonies.

Future plans

Education

• Professional evening colleges to be setup in Government school buildings after the conclusion of the morning shift to make optimum use of school buildings, wherever possible. Education in colleges in two shifts. 85% seats for Delhi Students in Delhi Government colleges. 12 colleges are 100% funded by the Government. IIT and Polytechnic institutes to be run in two shifts

• 20 new colleges to be opened under the Ambedkar University. 150 new schools would be opened in every five years. Schools in two shifts.

• EWS quotas to be extended in higher education.

• Land allotment policy to be reviewed to provide more lands for the construction of new public schools to find a lasting solution to the nursery class admission chaos and confusion.

• Skill training centre at Jaunapur, Singapore project.

• Allowing private schools to operate second shifts to address the mounting demand for admissions and gender sensitization in all Government schools.

• Upgrading the infrastructure of all existing schools to create more space for studies, ensure safety, sanitation and water supply.

• Creating more posts for teachers to address the shortage of teaching staff, and providing counselors in every school.

• Upgradation of Knowledge Infrastructure. Knowledge and innovation centres to be established in Delhi Technological University (DTU), Indira Gandhi Technical University for Women (IGTUW), Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, NetajiSubhash Institute of Technology and IIT, Delhi.

• Higher education would be subsidized for targeted low income group.

• In fact, the education policy of the Congress would be a continuation of the Congress Government’s 15-year rule in Delhi.

Pension

• Pension amount to all deserving categories would be enhanced to Rs 2000 per month to uniformize pension for all, including widows and handicapped.

Old age homes

• New old age homes would be constructed for different groups of people under “paid and unpaid” categories.

• New working women’s hostels would be constructed at different locations.

• Recreation centres would be constructed for senior citizens in each Assembly constituency of Delhi.

• New libraries with wi-fi connections (internet café) would be established in every Assembly constituency.

'Utroni Mela'

• Financial aid shall be given to “UtroniMela” on the lines of Chhat Festival

Health care

• 24-hour free diagnostic centres, with CT scan, MRI and ultrasound facilities for the poor would be run in every hospital, under the Private-Public Partnership model. NAT testing to be done in all Government hospitals.

• Special ambulance for senior citizens.

• Three new medical colleges to be set up at (BSA) BheemRaoAmbedkar hospital, Dwarka Hospital and DDU Hospital.

• Indoor facilities in the Rajiv Gandhi hospital, Janakpuri hospital, Deep Chand Bandhu hospital.Ambedkar Nagar and Burari hospital to be started.

• Regional Forensic Science Labs to be started.

• All children upto the age of 14 years studying in Government and aided schools to be covered under the “Chacha Nehru SehatYojna” scheme.

Homes for the poor

• 25000 flats would be allotted under the EWS category to the poor.

Construction of new bridge

• Construction of a new bridge in place of the old iron bridge across the Yamuna river.

Home guards

• Continuation of the services of the Home Guards.

• More recruitment in the civil defence forces, including women, to ensure the safety and security of women in Delhi.

• Appropriate equipment would be provided to them for effective discharge of their duties, including patrolling units, to be placed under the SDM.

Security

• CCTV cameras to be set up in colonies from MLA funds.

• Security gates in colonies from MLA funds.

• Special training of the police force with respect to crimes against women.

• Increase the number of women in the police force

• Gender training for the entire Government workforce, including non-Government sectors in the public domain like auto rickshaw drivers etc.

Public transport

• All public transport would be monitored with CCTV cameras.

• Women’s safety will be ensured in buses with the installion of CCTV cameras.

• All public transport would be Wi-Fi enabled.

• Would ensure 11000 buses on Delhi roads. At present, there are only 5500 buses under the DTC, both cluster and DTC’s. New bus system model to be reviewed. GPS plus time table, punishment for rash driving etc.

• ISBTs at Sarai Kale Khan, Dwarka, Narela and AnandVihar to be constructed in a time-bound period.

• Metro feeder buses to be expanded to be connected to every colony. New Bus Queue Shelters—1000. RRTS, Regional Railway Transport System to be developed and strengthened to be linked to the Metro.

• Barapullah Phase-3: Sarai Kale Khan to MayurVihar to be completed for Rs 1200 crore.

• Phase IV of Barapullah to be extended upto the Airport. Elevated road dedicated for buses.

Safai Karamcharis

• SafaiKaramcharis would be recruited on a regular basis under prescribed parameters to eliminate contractual employment in Government establishments.

• Regularisation of Class III and IV employees, and DTC drivers already working.

Unauthorised colonies

• Regularisation of unauthorised colonies. The Congress will regularize all those unauthorized colonies which had been left out, in addition to all the unauthorized colonies regularized by the previous Congress Government in Delhi.

• Norms on restriction of registration of properties would be relaxed in unauthorised colonies.

• Toilets for women in market places.

• Women’s safety.

• Buildings constructed upto 150-yard plots will be exempted from building plan sanction. Qualified architects will certify such buildings.

Girls' education/facilities for women

• EWS quotas to be extended for higher education for girl students.Extension of the Ladli scheme for college-going girls.

• Construction of exclusive hostels for visually-challenged College going girls.

• Construction of another home to care for mentally challenged persons.

• Enhanced scholarships for disabled students.

• To open crèches to look after children of working women.

• Expanding the coverage of providing ssanitary napkins to under privileged women at affordable cost for better health/hygiene.

• Setting up of more working women’s hostels.

• Opening of more women toilets managed by women—with an initial target of 20 per each Assembly constituency.

Women's safety

• Better policing setup and installation of CCTV cameras in public transport to ensure the safety and security of women.

• Ensure stringent punishment for crime against women.

• Evolve a mechanism of obtaining the co-operation of police.

• Special training of police force with respect to crimes against women.

• Gender training for the entire Government work force, including Non-Government actors in public domain like auto rickshaw drivers, taxi drivers, public transport staff etc so as to ensure that women are not harassed or crimes committed against them in work place, public transport and other places.

Concessional passes for students and senior citizens in metro trains

• Concessional passes for students and senior citizens in DTC buses would be extended to Metro trains as well.

Ownership rights to JJ clusters free of charge

• Ownership rights of land free of cost to people of JJ clusters in the resettlement colonies, as had been done under the 20-point programme by Smt Indira Gandhi.

OBC Certificates

• For issuing OBC certificates, five years Delhi Resident Proof to be introduced instead of Regular Resident Delhi Proof, effective since 1993.

• Document attestation of any Community Certificate can be done by any Registered Organisation of the society, instead of two Gazetted Officers.

Welfare of SC/ST/OBC/Minorities

• Modernization of Madarsa education.

• Setting up of a Haj House in Dwarka.

• Providing easy loans for self employment.

• Encourage enrolment and retention in schools by providing stipends.

• Improve employment opportunities by granting adequate scholarships for taking professional/technical/vocational/skill development courses.

Jhilmil Area Construction Academy

• Construction Workers’ Welfare Academy at Jhilmil.

Extension of Lal Dora Areas

• The Lal Dora areas would be extended and this would be implemented on a priority basis.

More power distribution companies would be inducted

• Induction of more power distribution companies in Delhi. Presently, there are only three power distribution companies operating in Delhi. To give a level-playing field, and the consumers the option of opting for the services they want, the number of power distribution companies in Delhi would be increased from the present number of three. This will also intensify the competition among the power distribution companies for providing better service at competitive and lower power tariff to the consumers.

• Those who consume power upto 0-200 units would be charged Rs 1.50 per unit while those who consume power above that would be given 50 per cent subsidy. The total subsidy, all put together, would be Rs 1600 crores.

• Suitable consumer-friendly amendments would be made in the DERC Act.

• Transmission of power to be strengthened to 220 KVA and 400 KVA. Three 220 KVA grids would be established at PreetVihar, Rajghat and Pappankalan. A 400 KVA grid would be set up at Harsh Vihar. Funds required for the next 5 years would be between Rs 5000-Rs 7000 crore. Work to be done by DTL and PGCIL (Power Grid Corporation of India Ltd). Funding would be done through the Power Finance Corporation and foreign funding. Gas to be arranged to run the Bawana power plant in full capacity.

• Bawnauli: Construction, generation and gas tie-up to be done.

• To promote solar roof top power to meet peaking load requirements.

• To turn Delhi into an energy surplus city with no shortage of power supply in short or long term.

• To setup Fast Track Grievance Cells to address complaints regarding electricity bills.

Delhi Jal Board

• Commissioning of three new water treatment plants at Dwarka, Bawana and Okhla.

• Construction of dams for storing monsoon run-off in upstream of Yamuna River to provide additional water to Delhi.

• 18 additional water storage reservoirs to be commissioned.

• Chanelization of Yamuna River for ensuring Ozone protection and development of upstream area to create large water storage zones.

• Conservation of water, rain water harvesting and proper management of ground water through a Ground Water Regulation Bill.

• Reduction of leakages and enhancement of efficiency by renovating the treatment plants and their command areas, at Chandrawal, Wazirabad and Bhagirathi.

• Completion/construction of interceptor sewers

• Bi-monthly billing of household water consumption to be ensured

• A time-bound grievance redressal mechanism to be setup for addressing billing related issues.

No charge for sewer connection

• No money would be charged for sewer connection. 10 per cent increase in water charges every year will be reviewed.

• All pending sewer and water bills will be exempted.

• Time-bound schedule for laying of water and sewer lines at unauthorized colonies. Foreign funding at low interest rate for the project. Expenditure of over Rs 350 crore expected.

Compensation for land acquisition

• All pending cases of payment of compensation for land acquisition would be settled in accordance with the new land acquisition law passed by Parliament.

• Lands were acquired in South Delhi villages, but actual possession of such lands was not taken, and compensation was not paid.

• All pending cases of land acquisition disputes would be settled.

Pay hike for Aganwadi workers

• The consolidated salary of over 11,000 Aganwadi workers would be increased from the present Rs 4000 to Rs 6000, and Rs 2500 to Rs 4000.

PARKING FACILITIES IN EVERY MARKET

Parking facilites in markets

• Designated parking facilities would be provided in every market.

• And special measures would be taken to decongest the traffic problem.

Baprola Industrial Park

• Knowledge-based industrial park to be set up at Baprola at a cost of Rs 2500.

• DwarkaMor to BaprolaIndustril Area: four-lane elevated corridor will be developed costing Rs 400 crore.

• Granting industry status to services sector for high employment areas like BPOs, IT-based and skill development services, along with 3-5 years tax holiday to both new and existing setups.

• Creation of more Skill Development Institutions with linkage to industries, on the lines of Jonapur ITI, thus doubling skill-based seats in the next five years.

• Venture funds for small entrepreneurs with focus on intellectual property creation and jobs.

• Upgradation of redevelopment of existing industrial estates.

• Creation of new industrial estates.

Ration Card

• All families eligible for the AnnashreeYojna Scheme would be given BPL cards. And every family would be given Seven Kg of wheat and one kg of rice per person.

• Opening of fair price shops in uncovered areas and introduction of mobile fair price shops.

• To introduce and develop vending machines in ration shops on the pattern of Mother Dairies, to be operated through smart cards.

• Complete computerization of entire public distribution system linking it to Aadhaar.

Full Statehood for Delhi

• The Congress party would renew its demand for full statehood for the Capital for effective Governance without any shackles, as the present system of multiplicity of agencies and authorities not under the Government of NCT create many hurdles and holdups in implementing people-friendly and development projects. Delhi needs to have a unified command structure, fully empowered to take decisions and issue directions on all matters, including land, Municipal governance and the police (barring matters relating to the security of the Union Government and the diplomatic core). We will demand transfer of all rights exercised by other State Governments on all subjects included in the State list of the Constitution.

Bhagidari

• The Bhagidari initiative would be broadned and strengthened, to engage directly with the citizens for sourcing ideas and innovations for improving services and governance in Delhi. Bhagidari will be aimed at harnessing the vast talent pool of citizens.

Art/Culture/Languages

• Establishing a museum in DaraShikoh Library

• Establishing a Delhi Museum at Kashmere Gate.

Urban development

• Improvement of civic services and augmentation of infrastructure in all urban villages and all approved, unauthorized and regularized colonies

• To direct the MCD to plan and executive an efficient and effective drainage system for entire Delhi.

• Walled city area to be developed through Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Corporation.

• Ensuring balanced development in the NCR zone, including free movement of traffic in NCR, and making a ‘Common Economic Zone’.

• In-situe development would be a preferred mode for JJ clusters to make Delhi free of slums.

• To provide adequate budgetary support for ensuring maintenance of all Government assets.

Waste management

• Ensure total cleanliness by collection of waste material from primary/landfill sites to Energy Conversion Plants and opening more Waste to Energy Conversion Plants.

Piped domestic gas

• To provide piped gas wherever feasible and possible, throughout Delhi. Restructuring of the IGL will be recommended.

Enhance the green cover of Delhi

• To further enhance the green cover of Delhi upto 25 per cent of the Delhi Geographical Area.

• Promotion of green buildings and Green Compliance Buildings.

• To drastically control pollution in Delhi.

Efficient revenue management

• Modernization of remaining nine E-Sub-Registrar Offices. Opening of e-Sub-Registrar Offices in all 33 sub-divisions.

• Computerization of revenue records to be completed

Delhi tourism

• Opening of new Delhi Haats.

• Better lighting of sub-ways.

• Creation of wellness centres and theme parks.

• Tourist complex with water sports facilities at Chhawla and Mega Water Sports Complex at Wazirabad.

• Welnesscentre (with Ayurveda, Unani, Homoeopathy and Yoga facilities)at Said-ul-Ajaib, near Garden of Five Senses. Neighbouhood Cultural Centre below the Raja Garden Flyover.

Labour

• A board to be setup for the unorganized workers under the Unorganised Workers’ Social Sucurity Act, 2008 for the safety and welfare of workers.

• Domestic workers, rag pickers, Railway porters etc to be brought under the RashtriyaSwasthyaBimaYojna.

Corruption

• The Congress will implement a fool-proof system to weed out corruption from Government departments and other places where public have to get their works done.

• The corrupt would be brought to book, and punished as a Congress Government would not brook corruption in any manner.

E-governance

• 90 per cent of Government services to be brought under E-Governance to increase efficiency, simplification of the process and transparency with an aim to cover over 90 per cent of Government services, and to bring them under e-SLA. This would create the necessary efficiency in our bid to make Delhi a "Smart City".

• Building of creche and hostels for working women.

• Concessional passes for students and senior citizens in metro trains.

• We will introduce mono rail to add to the transport network to make commuting easy.

• Creation of a Light Railway.

• Right to shelter

• Creation of double-decker flyovers.

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