NEW DELHI: Calling upon public dealing departments to improve their functioning so as to serve the residents of the Capital in tune with the basic principles of Bhagidari, Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has instructed all departments to participate in the "Annual Bhagidari Mela" scheduled to be organised in February 2006 and project citizen-oriented schemes and other development related innovations.

Recalling the fact that the Delhi Government was conferred the United Nations Public Service Award 2005 for improving transparency, accountability and responsiveness in public service for its Bhagidari initiatives, Ms. Dikshit told officers at the annual Bhagidari review meeting here over the weekend that at both national and international levels governments had expressed their keenness to know more about the Bhagidari movement.

The Chief Minister said the Bhagidari movement had achieved a number of milestones and helped forge ties with the people in finding solutions to some of the intractable problems facing the city. The Chief Secretary and all Principal Secretaries attended the meeting along with senior representatives of Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Delhi police and Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

The Heads of Departments presented their report cards on the implementation of various Bhagidari initiatives. The MCD reported that 17 Bhagidari workshops had been organised to help citizens on effective solid waste management at colony levels, while 145 parks have been handed over to the citizens groups for maintenance under the Memorandum of Understanding scheme.

Ms. Dikshit asked the Corporation to give wide publicity to the schemes and simplify the procedure to enable Delhiites to enter into partnership with the civic body. She also instructed the MCD to intensify efforts for greening of areas below flyovers.

Informing that 84 rainwater-harvesting schemes had been taken up in various localities through citizen's group initiative, the Delhi Jal Board representative said that this has resulted in collection of bills in a big way. Citizens have also responded enthusiastically to the SMS facility of DJB for lodging grievances and detecting leakages.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail