Date:14/02/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/02/14/stories/2006021414170400.htm

New Delhi

Ram Babu reprimands MCD leaders for freebies

Staff Reporter

DPCC chief asks Mayor to withdraw the proposals

NEW DELHI: Taking a serious note of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi's proposal to increase Councillors' allowances besides allowing them to book the civic body's community halls and parks free of cost, Delhi Congress chief Ram Babu Sharma has written a strong letter to Delhi Mayor Satbir Singh and Standing Committee Chairman Mukesh Goel asking them to immediately withdraw both the proposals as it could have an adverse impact on the party's image.

In his letter written to the top functionaries of the civic body's deliberative wing, Mr. Sharma has stated that "the move to enhance the allowances of the Councillors and allowing them to book the civic body's community halls free of cost do not conform to the spirit of public service. The Councillors have been elected to the MCD to serve the people selflessly and not to derive personal benefits. There is no justification in enhancing their meeting allowance from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 10,000."

"The party's Delhi unit strongly feels that the move to enhance the monetary benefits of the Councillors was in gross disregard to the spirit of service to the people and should be withdrawn without any delay as it would send wrong message to the public and have an adverse effect on the image of the Congress in the Capital," it states. It is understood that Mr.Sharma had also personally conveyed his annoyance to the Congress leaders in MCD about the various approvals they got passed for themselves. He is learnt to have told them that it was against the spirit of the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi's directive to Congressmen that they should adopt austerity and code of ethics in conduct of their official and public life.

It may be recalled that in its last meeting, the MCD House has passed the Budget for 2006-07 clearing the proposal to steeply hiking the Councillors' meeting allowance besides increasing the number of free phone calls to them from 3,000 to 5,000.

Similarly, the civic body's Standing Committee meeting had cleared a proposal allowing Councillors and their relatives to book the civic body's community halls and parks without paying any fee or security deposit that too for an unlimited period.