The Hindu : New Delhi News : Corporates to assist Govt. in welfare schemes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Sep 09, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Corporates to assist Govt. in welfare schemes

By Sujay Mehdudia

NEW DELHI, SEPT. 8. The corporate houses are all set to join hands with the Government to initiate major welfare programmes in various sectors under the public-private partnership programme for urban governance. From raising public awareness about HIV/AIDS, reducing infant morality rate, establishing an effective communication system for delivery of health and sanitation services, set up well-designed drinking water kiosks, improving streetscape of the city, improving quality of lung space to putting up designer food carts and vending operations, it is all there.

Based on the Bangalore formula for development and upgrading civic services, the new initiative under the "Bhagidari Scheme" will be launched with much fanfare by October-end. The corporate houses and the Government have already held several rounds of discussions and zeroed in on priority areas that need to be taken up in the first phase. A list of projects has been prepared by both sides for implementation, which would be overlooked by a Core Group comprising representatives of the Government and the corporate houses. Various business houses and chambers including Confederation of Indian Industry, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) have agreed to be part of this new agenda of urban governance.

"It is a step in the direction wherein private organisations, individuals and professionals along with government officials would contribute in making a workable model for public-private partnership," the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, informed. The Core Group to overlook the implementation would be headed by the Chief Secretary. It would be entrusted to identify priority areas, which are capable of being handled through private sector expertise. Key members from the trade and industry would be involved in this endeavour. The Bangalore Agenda Task Force (BATF), which is already implementing such projects in Bangalore, would be helping both the parties in this process.

The Chief Minister said a list of projects had already been identified and the initiative is all set for a big launch by the end of next month. The projects have been divided in various priority areas, which will be taken up in phased manner by different groups. In the primary health sector, a project would be taken up to raise the levels of public awareness with focus on HIV/AIDS, reducing infant morality rate and maternal morality rate, to address the grievances of citizens and to facilitate effective communication among health officials for enhanced delivery of services through radio paging network. Similarly in the solid waste management sector, the focus would be on collection of waste from households, commercial and medical establishments, segregation of waste in residential colonies, transportation of waste, setting up helpline and help network facilities for effective delivery system.

Under the sanitation head, designer pay and use toilet complexes are proposed to be set up. Another project is to establish a network of well-designed drinking water kiosks with advertisement based revenue generation for operations. To improve visual quality of city streetscape through utility based advertisements, adoption of parks to improve quality of lung space in the city, modernise municipal and licensing offices for efficiency, professionalism and enhanced citizen interface. In the road and traffic area, the projects would include to provide safer and smooth access and exit from the city, to effectively manage traffic problems in residential areas, to decongest critical locations for effective network flows, to enhance capacity of the prevailing drivers and induction of female drivers, and to raise the level of awareness on traffic rules and regulation.

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