Joshi, Shinde smile as PM agrees to talk

In a rare gesture of its kind, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee has agreed to meet a state all-party delegation to discuss the problems of Mumba...

In a rare gesture of its kind, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee has agreed to meet a state all-party delegation to discuss the problems of Mumbai on Thursday, thanks to the initiative taken by Lok Sabha Speaker Manohar Joshi and Chief Minister Sushilkumar Shinde.

Since it is a rare opportunity, the Democratic Front government will make a comprehensive presentation on the problems of Mumbai, particularly the re-development of slums, environmental clearance for pending projects, the Mumbai Urban Transport Project, utilisation of salt pan lands and the trans-harbour link, Chief Secretary Ajit Nimbalkar told The Indian Express.

Efforts will also be made to convince Vajpayee that if the problems are resolved, it will benefit not only Mumbai, but Maharashtra as well as the whole nation, Nimbalkar added.

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Top politicians as well as bureaucrats will meet on August 20 to have a preliminary meeting to consolidate the proposals with Joshi, and will subsequently call on the Prime Minister the next day. Besides Joshi and Shinde, the delegation will include NCP president Sharad Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, BJP leader Gopinath Munde, former chief minister Narayan Rane, Mayor Mahadev Deole and MPs and legislators from Mumbai.

On July 26, Joshi had called on Vajpayee to stress the need for special financial assistance for Mumbai. Simultaneously, Shinde had also declared that he would lead an all-party delegation to the Prime Minister to urge him to sanction at least Rs 1,500 crore to tackle the problems of Mumbai.

According to a senior government official, the delegation will present a five-year plan on development of Mumbai. On re-development of slums, the official said, Vajpayee will be urged to release funds from the special fund at his disposal.

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