Should Delhi be granted Statehood?
Should Delhi be granted Statehood?
Structure of Delhi government
- Delhi, a Union Territory, is the Capital of India, officially known as the National Capital Territory of Delhi.
- At the time of Independence Delhi was administered by a chief commissioner and after a few changes the Metropolitan Council was set up in 1966. This Council had deliberative rights through which they provide recommendations to legislate.
- Political administration of the NCT of Delhi closely resembles that of a state of India, with its own legislature, high court and an executive council of ministers headed by a Chief Minister by Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCT) Act passed in 1991.
- Assembly has all rights like all other states powers to govern and make laws except on three subjects like public order, police and land.
- The National Capital Territory of Delhi is divided in to three sub territories MCD, NDMC and NCT all of which are governed by separate bodies, some of who are elected, others are appointed by the central govt.
- MCD: Municipal Corporation of Delhi is an elected body with a mayor as its head.
-NDMC : New Delhi Municipal Corporation is governed by a council with a chairman appointed by the central government and includes the chief minister of Delhi.
- NCT : National Capital Territory is headed by the lieutenant governor who also happens to be the chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).
- Civic bodies and Delhi Police come under the Union home ministry.
- Delhi Development Authority reports to the Union urban development ministry.
Argument against granting statehood to Delhi
1. Being a national Capital, it is home to central ministry and a large number of administrative buildings.
2. Delhi Hosts foreign dignitaries, guides foreign investments which are under the jurisdiction of Centre.
3. Statehood will encourage regionalism in Delhi where people from all over India come and stay.
4. Delhi police are responsible for VIP security which is huge task. Many of these VIPs being related to central government, their security can’t be left to the state.
Argument favoring statehood to Delhi
1. Law and Order is a serious problem for which the elected minister can’t be held responsible
2. Delhi is a territory being ruled by central government as well as local government bodies that do not report to the Elected Chief Minister.
3. Number of conflicts arise because of three elected bodies - Central, state and municipal bodies.
4. Government of Delhi to function autonomously, and provide a better service to the people.
5. Six different agencies handle drains, sewerage and water pipes. Five civic bodies and the PWD look after maintenance of the roads thereby leading to chaos of single work handled by too many bodies.
Discussion
- RE: Should Delhi be granted Statehood? -Ruchir Joshi (02/17/15)
- The arguments which are mostly presented by the 'against statehood' lot mostly concern with the protection of the VIPs, politicians and foreign delegates who visit the place as the capital of India. The capital of India is New Delhi, not Delhi. It contains that part of Delhi which is the residing place for the ministries and governing bodies of India and it's officials. Objectively judging the situation here, why are the other parts of Delhi, or the major chunk of this Union Territory suffering in the domain of Public order and Land acquisition just because of this geographical presence of India's capital?
A specialized central committee can be structured to discuss about the flaws present in the governance of Delhi, which if could not be addressed separately, can only be dissolved by giving simple statehood to Delhi. The security point can looked after through some other provision, maybe a separate Police lot or security agency.
It is natural that the funds transferred from the central government lowers the taxes in Delhi area but it is also true that the haphazardness generating out of the multiple development and governing bodies like Delhi MCD, DDA, NDMC makes the day to day life difficult for a common Delhite. Imagine a land sanction proposed by DDA which has to be purchased by Land and Building department of the govt. of Delhi and then sanctioned to the DDA after the approval of Lieutenant Governor who is appointed by the Central Government - while according to the non functioning Entry 18 of States list upon NCT of Delhi, central govt has rights in or over land and its colonization. So, this red-tape formality-chain can practically elongate the time for acquiring land, building property and setting the colonization rules for a single project.
Isn't it worse than higher taxes?
- RE: Should Delhi be granted Statehood? -Deepa Kaushik (02/16/15)
- Delhi and its people have been suffering a lot for a long time now in this jugglery of power and authority in Delhi. People just require a peaceful living with the basic requirements being provided to them. But, the basic demand and supply also gets dis-balanced in the multiple authorities coming into action.
People are definitely not living a secure life. The law and order situation, especially when that comes to women security is t stake in Delhi. Just because this land is a place for lot many VIPs doesn’t mean that the common man is a prey to the culprits roaming around in the city. The cops should concentrate on the common man equally. The so-called VIPs have gained the status only after the common man choosing them to attain that position. In a democratic set-up, it should be the common man first. This could be possible only if Delhi has a Government with all the powers as for a state.
Though Delhi is a National Capital, yet the division of power and authority has messed up the regulations leaving the common man in vain. The blame game is always set to be shot whenever the plans get mis-fired. In-short, people are befooled in the silly blame game of the multiple authorities in action. Nobody is responsible enough when it comes to take up the failure and provide an explanation. These situations of helplessness and misery could be solved only if Delhi is granted Statehood.
