Budget session: Parties focus on regularisation,law and order

The importance of the regularisation issue in Delhi is evident with records showing that at least 250 of 869 questions for the budget are intended for the Urban Development department,the nodal agency to regularise unauthorised colonies.

A senior Assembly secretariat official said,“Tuesday was the last day to receive questions and at least 250 concern the UD department,in particular unauthorised colonies.” He added that both Congress and BJP MLAs had submitted questions on this issue.

In the run up to the 2008 Assembly elections,Congress had distributed 1,638 provisional regularisation certificates (PRC) to residents.

However,while little was done in four years,Dikshit fast-tracked the regularisation process after suffering heavy defeats in the 2012 local body elections.

A short-duration discussion on the issue has also been scheduled for April 2.

According to Assembly secretariat records,the Education department received more than 150 questions,second only to the UD department,followed by departments of Transport,Public Works,Health and Home.

“Many legislators sent questions to the Home department regarding law and order and MLA security,while the Transport department has also received questions concerning security and safety of passengers and bus shelters,” a senior official said.

He added that lawmakers had also requested information on 600 roads transferred to the PWD from the municipal corporations.

Assembly Speaker Yoganand Shastri said five issues had been listed for short-duration discussions including the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi,hike in electricity,water and LPG rates,pollution in the Yamuna,irregularities in the municipal corporations and unauthorised and resettlement colonies in Delhi.

“The honourable Lieutenant-Governor of Delhi will address the House on March 13,at 11 am and the Chief Minister, also being the Finance Minister,will present the budget for the year 2013-2014 in the House on March 20. The budget will be passed on March 26,after discussion,” Speaker Shastri said.