Delhi: 6 MCD panels submit budget proposals for coming fiscal year

Key proposals included a request from Sandeep Kapoor, chairperson of the sanitation committee, for one JCB and one mechanical sweeper per ward, along with 10 additional sanitation workers per councillor.

The chairpersons of six special and ad-hoc committees of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) presented their budget proposals for the upcoming fiscal year to Standing Committee Chairperson Satya Sharma on Tuesday. Among others, the proposals sought increase in manpower for sanitation, budgetary provision for microchipping of stray dogs, revenue generation measures and funds for upliftment of villages.

Chaddha explained that when MCD picks up cows from the streets and sends them to cow shelters there have been complaints that the cows are being released from the shelters through back channels.

“These proposals and suggestions focus particularly on strengthening sanitation systems, improving construction and maintenance works, expanding civic health services, reinforcing the education system, conserving green areas and parks, and ensuring the overall development of rural areas. Suggestions received from the committees would be incorporated to prepare a comprehensive, balanced and public-oriented budget,” Sharma said.

Key proposals included a request from Sandeep Kapoor, chairperson of the sanitation committee, for one JCB and one mechanical sweeper per ward, along with 10 additional sanitation workers per councillor. He also sought a separate budget for maintaining dhalaos and public toilets, and suggested leasing closed dhalaos to private companies to generate revenue.

Meanwhile, Manish Chaddha, health committee chairperson, requested additional funds to strengthen municipal hospital services and for initiatives including anti-rabies drives and microchipping stray dogs. “MCD is building a dog shelter with a capacity of 1,500 dogs in Sector 29, Dwarka, which will be completed in the upcoming financial year. He said that the estimated cost of housing 1,500 dogs is ₹6.5 crore per year. To ensure transparency in sterilisation process, microchips will be implanted in stray dogs during the sterilisation,” he said.

The cost of microchipping one dog will be around ₹300. Chaddha said that the pace of dog sterilisation will also be increased. “This year, there are plans to sterilise around 120,000 stray dogs. Additional kennels will be built at five sterilisation centres, while a proposal to build kennels at five other centres is also under consideration,” he added.

Chaddha explained that when MCD picks up cows from the streets and sends them to cow shelters there have been complaints that the cows are being released from the shelters through back channels. “To prevent this, microchips will be implanted in the animals, such as cows, after they are removed from the streets and before they are placed in the cow shelters. This chip will contain information such as where the cow was picked up from, when it was picked up, and which cow shelter it was taken to,” he added.

From the education committee, chairperson Yogesh Verma proposed using the outer walls of MCD schools for advertisements and installing ATM machines on school premises in high-density areas to create new revenue streams. Yogesh, chairperson of the rural committee, called for dedicated funds to develop village roads and lanes, formulate a separate rural policy, and install lights to eliminate dark spots. Additionally, Preeti, head of the Works Committee, advocated enhancing the Municipal Councillor Fund to ₹2 crore to enable more effective local development.

The Standing Committee will now consolidate these proposals before presenting a final budget to the full house of councillors at a date to be announced.