Tuesday, Nov 26, 2002
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New Delhi
By Our Staff Reporter
Replying to the Short Duration Discussion debate on the new transport policy and the Metro Rail issue moved by Arvinder Singh Lovely and Kiran Chaudhary (Cong.), Mr. Maken accused the BJP and its Leader in the House, Jagdish Mukhi, of misleading the people by making false claims. Questioning the BJP's stand of getting more powers for Delhi Government, the Minister wondered if the BJP was for strengthening of the State Government or the Central Government. On one hand they support the Centre which is bent upon suppressing the rights of the duly-elected Government and on the other hand they talk of more powers and Statehood, he added. Accusing the Central Government of doing everything possible to sideline the Delhi Government with regard to Metro Rail, Mr. Maken said the Ordinance and the subsequent Bill on the issue was totally tilted in favour of the Central Government. Wherever the name of Delhi Government has been mentioned, it means the Lieutenant-Governor and not the Council of Ministers. Taking the BJP leaders to task, Mr. Maken said if Metro Rail was under the Railways, then why was the Union Urban Development Minister, Ananth Kumar, piloting the Bill in Parliament. Why was a new Act enacted if the matter was under Railways. Mr. Maken said the Delhi Government had asked for involvement in the matter of finalisation of new corridors, fixation of tariff, rolling stock and scrutiny of works to bring accountability. But we did not receive any reply from the Union Government to our letter dated September 23. "Neither the Chief Minister, Sheila Dikshit, nor was the Transport Minister consulted by the Central Government at any stage,'' he added. At the same time, Mr. Maken accused the BJP-led Central Government of delaying clearance for the Phase-II of the MRTS project which has already been cleared by the Delhi Cabinet about three months ago. The project, he said, would cover a distance of 41.2 km and cost around 9,000 crores. But the matter which was sent to the Union Government three months ago is still hanging fire giving an indication of the urgency with which Delhi and its people are treated by the BJP-led Government. On the accusations of the BJP leaders that power was being supplied to DMRC at a higher rate to benefit two private power companies, the Minister said that no such thing was being contemplated and every benefit will be extended to DMRC in the matter. Giving out figures, Mr. Maken said that at present, DISCOMS were supplying power to Railways at Rs. 4.95 paise per unit. In Kolkata, power is supplied to the Metro Rail by the private power company at Rs. 5.10 paise per unit. But the Delhi Government is not going to burden the common man and it was in strong favour of giving a distribution license to DMRC by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC). Earlier, Mr. Mukhi accused the Delhi Government of sitting for almost two years on the Metro Rail draft Bill sent by the Union Government. Accusing the Congress Government of launching a motivated campaign against the Centre on the issue, he said everything said by the Delhi Government was a bundle of lies and in fact a conspiracy had been hatched to benefit the two private distribution companies.
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