From Bhagidari to AAP’s self-rule in cities

NEW DELHI: It was in January of 2000 that the capital was introduced to the concept of Bhagidari by the then first-time Congress government, under the leadership of chief minister Sheila Dikshit. The institution of a resident welfare association received official sanction.

Fifteen years later, the Congress government has left behind a legacy of 3500 associations registered under Bhagidari that are restricted to the planned areas of a city burgeoning with unplanned residential and commercial areas in its unauthorized settlements, resettlements and slums. The new AAP government now faces a big challenge as it would first have to reconcile the existing system with its objectives if it wants to introduce a participatory government model through mohalla sabhas.

According to the existing norms, the state government can spend developments funds only in planned and regularized areas through RWAs, market and industrial associations. It was to overcome this restriction and reinvent Bhagidari, that Congress - in a belated attempt to reach out to the angry aam aadmi - spoke of Bhagidari -II in its manifesto. It aims at linking associations from the areas out of the purview of the existing RWAs.

Even Kejriwal recognizes that reforms will require legal re-organization of the existing system. "There is widespread demand in Delhi for giving legal recognition to resident welfare associations. A draft Model Nagar Raj Bill was sent to all state governments by the Centre in which it was requested that they should make necessary amendments, using their intellectual discretion, and pass the Bill in their respective vidhan sabhas," says Kejriwal in his book, 'Swaraj'. He adds that while this is a big step by the central government to recognize the RWAs as a unit in the city, the draft falls short of vesting real powers in the RWAs.

"Civil society members have rejected the draft of the local government bill. Many prominent citizens ...have come up with a new draft for the local government bill which is being demanded by civil society," Kejirwal states. The amended draft says 3,000 individuals (voters) living in a specific locality of a city should be allowed to form an association. One representative should be chosen from the association of each locality with the help of the election commission.

Representatives of all associations of localities in one ward will form a committee. This committee will be headed by the ward councillor or MLA. All matters related to a locality must be managed by the association. They should take decisions through a voice vote and mutual consent of members of the ward. The ward committee must have independent revenue and hence should be empowered to collect taxes and get funds from corporation, state and central governments. The local association must have the power to summon government staff and contractors and stop their salaries or payments as a penalty.

with thanks : Times of India : LINK