The Hindu : New Delhi News : No discrimination, asserts Dikshit

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Nov 17, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

No discrimination, asserts Dikshit

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, NOV. 16. Asserting that the focus would be on all-round development of the Capital, the Delhi Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, is understood to have intervened to put an end to a row over alleged discrimination against Gujjar-dominated villages in rural Delhi in disbursement of funds and inclusion in the Plan scheme under the Rural Development Board.

The Nationalist Congress Party MLA from Badarpur, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, had raised the matter at a meeting of the Board last week. It is learnt that after the meeting, the Chief Minister issued instructions to the Board and officials concerned that the Board cover all rural villages in Delhi irrespective of the community to which they belonged. A number of rural villages in East Delhi had been left out of the Board's agenda and the matter gained momentum with voices being raised against such blatant discrimination. The issue could have assumed political colour threatening to divide the members of the Board headed by the Member of Parliament from Outer Delhi, Sajjan Kumar.

It is understood that Ms. Dikshit directed that no such plan be put up before the Board that did not cater to all the segments. She is believed to be upset over the fact that only a few rural villages belonging to the particular community had been left out which was not acceptable. The officials concerned are understood to have pointed out that there was an "administrative mistake'' in preparing the agenda and it was not the intention of the Board to discriminate against certain village or any community as such. Mr. Bidhuri had raised a hue and cry over the fact that the villages had been left out and the Plan schemes that had been approved by the Board too had not been included in the agenda this time for some mysterious reason. However, the intervention by the Chief Minister has settled the matter once for all and it has also been clarified that the Board would signify all rural areas of Delhi and not be limited to a certain Parliamentary constituency. Mr. Sajjan Kumar had also stated that there was an error in the agenda and the intention was not to hurt anybody's sentiments.

Meanwhile, questions are being raised over the implementation of the schemes approved by the Board presently or in the near future. All the concerned MLAs and officials point out that only about four months of the current financial year are left and even if the schemes were approved now, it would take at least three months time to float the tenders and award works. This would make it extremely difficult for the concerned agencies to execute the work within the current financial year and in all probability the schemes will stretch to next year. The Rural Development Board has around Rs. 90 crores at its disposal for carrying out works in various areas.

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