Dear All,
Yuvasatta-Youth Wing of Lok Satta Party, is organizing a protest against the Passing of the NAGAR RAJ BILL. The form in which this bill is passed makes a mockery of the whole process and initiative at decentralization and citizens' participation in Urban Governance. It shows how reluctant the State Government is to relinquish powers even as low a level as area sabhas.
We all know the present method of Governance is highly impractical.
o One elected corporator cannot meet the aspirations of 40000 – 650000.
o The bureaucracy, who run different corporations in the cities, is not actually accountable to citizens of a ward or area.
Therefore the Nagar Raj Bill was proposed to bring PARTICIPATION, ACCOUNTABILITY AND TRANSPARENCY.
In a rural area, we have one elected representative (Panches and Sarpanches) for approximately every 425 voters and about 650 people and it are physically possible for an elected representative to serve the people.
LIKEWISE WE NEED TO HAVE AREA SABHAS IN THE CITY
Through ASR concept in cities, we will have one elected representative for about every 1000 voters and about 1700 people.
The formation of AREA SABHAS in urban localities will bring the following change:
§ Periodic Area Sabha meetings, citizens participate in the governance of their area. They decide the priority of works to be done and see that their taxes are utilized correctly.
§ Citizens themselves get a say in the utilization of various government policies and schemes. Thus saving valuable tax payers money which otherwise is siphoned off…
§ Area Sabhas will also help in strengthening communitarian bonds, building trust and providing a safe and incident free neighborhood.
The Maharashtra Government as highly dilutes this bill in the form of Amendments to the Mumbai Municipals Corporation Act.
1- Area Sabhas will be for up to five polling booths (5000 citizen) - Thus making it ineffective
2- ASRs will be Nominated by govt.. - Thus only political cronies will be appointed and making people further away from the system.
3- ASR will not be members of Ward Committee. - Thus their role is not defined and will make mockery of the whole concept.
4- No ward committee at corporator ward level. - Thus nothing changes at grass route level and no platform for "Local Self Governance"
5- Existing WARD(S) COMMITTEE will continue without transferring functioneris etc. - As it is they are non functional in true sense and not bringing governance closer to people.
WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE?
Maharashtra Government should have simply adopted the Model Nagar Raj Bill in toto and given it supremacy or overriding effect over the provisions of the BMC Act (Bombay Municipal Corporation Act) by providing that –
"to the extent the provisions of the Nagar Raj Act" are inconsistent with or contrary to any of the provisions of the BMC Act; the provisions of the Nagar Raj Act shall prevail."
We invite you to participate in our protest on Saturday 20/06/2009 at 3:30 PM – Azad Maidan, CST.
Remember
Nagar Raj Bill = Participation,Accountability & Transparency
Nagar Raj Bill Passed by Maharashtra Assembly = None of the above !
Sum Total= Power with corrupt 'Netas' and not Citizens.
Don't wait for another 26/11 to wake up !!!
Join Us.................
RUBEN : 9820249942
NIKITA: 9920020919
ROHIT: 9820687638
AJAY: 9892614014
SHAILESH: 9820213888
Posted by Loksatta - Maharashtra : loksatta.maharashtra17@gmail.com
Forget yourself for others, and others will never forget you.
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