The Delhi Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution saying that the Master Plan 2021 should be first given to the assembly for discussion before being notified and implemented.
Three Congress MLAs – Mukesh Sharma, Naseeb Singh and Tarwinder Marwah moved the resolution saying “outsiders” decide the fate of Delhi without consulting the elected representatives of the city. Sharma said if the Master Plan is not presented to the House for a threadbare discussion, problems would arise soon and then there would be a need to amend it.
“We want to ensure that the interests of the people of the city are protected through the Master Plan,” said Sharma. He said in the present form, the draft of the new Master Plan might not have any relief for the people affected by the sealing and the demolition drive. “We want to ensure that the permanent relief is provided through the document,” he added.
Replying to the motion, chief minister Sheila Dikshit said the government would request the authorities concerned to send the Master Plan to the House before it is notified.
The House, however, did not pass another motion, moved by NCP MLA Ramvir Singh Bidhuri on giving permission for mixed land use on the main roads of the villages. Bidhuri’s resolution also asked that house tax be waived off in all villages of Delhi and rural villages should not be declared urbanised in future.
Interestingly, nine legislators supported the motion of Bidhuri but it was defeated by a voice vote in the House. Bidhuri said DDA bought land from the farmers in Jasola for a paltry Rs 10,000 per acre a few years ago and is now selling it for Rs 250 crore per acre. “The villages feel cheated. Part of this profit should be given back to those from whom the land was acquired,” said the NCP leader.
{{/usCountry}}Interestingly, nine legislators supported the motion of Bidhuri but it was defeated by a voice vote in the House. Bidhuri said DDA bought land from the farmers in Jasola for a paltry Rs 10,000 per acre a few years ago and is now selling it for Rs 250 crore per acre. “The villages feel cheated. Part of this profit should be given back to those from whom the land was acquired,” said the NCP leader.
{{/usCountry}}Ironically, all the MLAs expressed support for the so called “rural population” of Delhi even though there are only a handful families left in Delhi whose primary occupation is agriculture or animal husbandry, necessary to qualify as rural. Replying to the Motion, Development Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan gave details of the developmental schemes launched through the Rural Development Board in recent months. “Work amounting to Rs 250 crore has already been done in the Delhi villages and we have a pending proposal to execute work of another Rs 50 crore,” he told the House.
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