Cabinet clears bill to split MCD

The Delhi cabinet on Tuesday cleared a bill envisaging splitting the municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD) into three smaller units, chief minister Sheila Dikshit said.

The Delhi cabinet on Tuesday cleared a bill envisaging splitting the municipal corporation of Delhi (MCD) into three smaller units, chief minister Sheila Dikshit said.

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"The cabinet has cleared the decision to split the civic body. We will be submitting the detailed report to the home ministry tomorrow (Wednesday) for approval," she told reporters after the meeting.

Dikshit described the split as a step forward in the direction of efficient and responsive municipal administration in the national capital.

"The decision to split the MCD was to ensure its smooth functioning. This set-up will streamline the delivery of services by the municipal bodies more efficiently," she said.

Dikshit has been campaigning for the last four months for splitting the MCD. The move has been facing stiff opposition from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which controls the civic body, as well as some Congress leaders in the MCD.

The MCD is the largest civic agency in India and the second biggest in Asia, after the Tokyo local agency, in terms of geographical area, according to its spokesman. The civic agency handles 96% of Delhi's land area and provides services to 98% of its population.