Budget session of Delhi Assy from Mar 17

New Delhi, Mar 16: A stormy budget session awaits the Sheila Dikshit Government from tomorrow with the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party getting ready to raise various issues like sealing, the water crisis in Delhi, regularisation of unauthorised colonies and the worsening law and order situation in the city.

The session, which begins with the address by Lt Governor Tejender Khanna, will have short notice discussions on various pressing issues confronting the people of the city. Listed on the agenda of the session are short notice discussions on "the situation arising out of sealing and demolition in Delhi", "situation arising out of the water crisis facing Delhi", "situation arising out of various illogical conditions for regularisation of unauthorised colonies" and "rising crime and the worsening law and order situation in Delhi".

Interestingly, all notices for discussion has been given by the members of the Opposition BJP.

A meeting of BJP MLAs was held in the chamber of Leader of the Opposition Jagdish Mukhi on March 13 to chalk out the strategy to trap the Delhi Government on various issues.

Prof Mukhi said despite repeated statements by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and Union Urban Development Minister Jaipal Reddy to regularize unauthorized colonies without any term or conditions, lakhs of people living in these colonies are compelled to live in hell like situations.

''Now when the process have started to regularize these colonies, again so many conditions have been imposed, to fulfil the same, it will prove to be a tough work for the residents of these colonies,'' the BJP leader said.

Prof Mukhi said that despite the lapse of six years of Privatisation of Distribution of Electricity in Delhi, Delhiites are still facing unscheduled power cuts for hours togehter.

''Delhiites are crying due to fast running meters. Goons of DISCOMs are threatening consumers and false cases have been fabricated against the consumers. Due to fast running meters the consumers are compelled to pay the raised bills of electricity.

BJP will take on the Government with stern hands on all these issues,''Prof Mukhi said.

He said the BJP had given 75 notices on 25 issues. Surprisingly ''there was no notice from the Congress which shows the lack of concern among the Government on the issues affecting the common man of Delhi.''

Prof Mukhi said the other issues likely to be raised by the BJP are the total collapse of the public transport system, skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, increasing crime, insecure women and senior citizens and continuing deteriorating law and order situation, shortage of doctors, staff and medicines in Government Hospitals, scam in the name of cleaning of Yamuna/concretization of Yamuna belt, acute shortage of Teachers in Schools as well as situation arising due to imparting computer education by unskilled instructors appointed through contractors, large scale open sale of synthetic milk, khoya and paneer and other milk products and adulteration in other eatables, situation arising due to not taking up of construction of Signature Bridge, misuse of Government Revenue in issuing surrogate advertisements for Political Benefits and diminishing of Industrial structure of Industry of Delhi due to unclear Industrial Policy of Delhi Govt.

The BJP will also highlight the silence of Delhi Government on the resolution to give the status of complete statehood to Delhi passed on the floor of house and the adverse consequences of the same.

''The transportation system of common public has totally collapsed in Delhi. For the last 9 years, the Delhi Government is promising to implement Integrated Transport System in Delhi, but the same has not been implemented till date. Due to non far-sightedness of Delhi Government, transport of Delhi has come to a standstill due to construction of Bus Corridors and due to uncontrolled Blue Line Buses and DTC the roads have become killing grounds of innocent persons,''he said.

Fourteen sittings of the House will be held during the session.

Finance Minister A K Walia is likely to present the Budget for the financial year 2008-09 on March 24.

In view of the Assembly elections in Delhi due later this year, the Budget is expected to include a number of sops for the people of Delhi.

The Budget is scheduled to be passed on March 27 after discussions on the same.

UNI