The Hindu : CM seeks clearance of Statehood Bill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 18, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

CM seeks clearance of Statehood Bill

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN.17. The Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, today demanded that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central Government get the Bill pertaining to grant of full Statehood to Delhi passed during the short session of Parliament that is likely to be held in the first week of February.

At the same time, the Chief Minister also sought early clearance of the Delhi Cooperatives Bill that has been pending with the Central Government for the past three months.

Ms. Dikshit was speaking at a felicitation function organised by the Delhi Cooperative Union here. The newly- elected MLAs, Bijender Singh and Vijay Lochav, were also felicitated on the occasion.

The Chief Minister said it was essential that the duly- elected Government in Delhi be granted more powers, including control over land and law and order, if it has to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Delhi. In the absence of control over land, planning and Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Government's hands were tied, she added. It could not do anything to solve the basic problem of housing, especially for the poor sections of the society. Linking the issue of Statehood with the pending Cooperative Bill, Ms. Dikshit said these two steps would ensure that a comprehensive plan for rehabilitation of slums and low cost self-financed housing could be put in place. She said the onus for granting Statehood was at the doorstep of the Central Government as the Delhi Government had completed all the formalities and sent the necessary resolution in this regard to the Ministry of Home Affairs. In fact, she pointed out that the Standing Committee of Parliament had also submitted its report on the Statehood issue and there should be no reason for any further delay in the matter.

The Chief Minister stressed that cooperatives could provide a long-term solution to the problem of housing but without Statehood and consequent control over land, such plans cannot materialise. She emphasised that the Delhi Government had comprehensive and well- thought out plan for vertical construction aimed at accommodating maximum number of people without using much of land and it was only possible if Statehood was granted immediately.

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