The ‘Vision Document’ for the urban local body election released by the Congress on Monday assured a priority to the development of the infrastructural facilities in the urban areas and a focus on planned development of the cities if elected. The party said in the document that it would strive to make available more resources to the ULBs aside from providing autonomy to such bodies as per the constitutional arrangement.
The document was released by the state Congress president Pritam Singh in the presence of other senior leaders at the state party office on Monday.
Speaking of the document, the state Congress vice- president Surya Kant Dhasmana said that it has highlighted planned development of all the ULBs spread across the state with deployment of an adequate number of sanitation workers in consideration of the population of the cities. “In the document, the party has laid stress on the modern sanitation equipment being provided. Besides, it has strongly pitched for a mega project for solid waste management for the major cities. The trenching ground and the processing plants should be such that they remain useful for the next two to three decades,” he said. Dhasmana further said that the party stands for more power to be given to the elected boards in line with the 74 Constitutional Amendment.
The opposition party has also given importance to the plight of the slum dwellers facing the demolition drive. “We reiterated our demand that the people living in the slums should be given ownership rights under the law enacted on August 10, 2016,” he said. He further said that the anti- encroachment drive should immediately be suspended and the state government should formulate a policy for effectively curbing encroachments in the cities.
The document has also focused on the planned development of the rural areas added into the cities, development of green belt, construction of community centres, development of Haat bazaars and vendor zones in the cities. “The document has also called for a proper drainage plan for disposal of the storm and domestic waste water. Besides, it advocates a rise in income of the ULBs without additional tax load slapped on the people. The party is also for a system meant to ensure security of the senior citizens and CCTV installation at important places and roads to ensure security of the children and the women,” he said. “This aside, Congress in its vision document has advocated public audit of the works undertaken by the ULBs and creation of public awareness for minimising use of polythene. The party has also pitched for stricter execution of the ‘Public Property Defacement Act’. Those who meet the recruitment standards should be employed in the ULBs. We have also called for implementation of a work plan for controlling the movement of the stray animals in the document,” the state Congress leader said.
