The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said the party would launch an application “My MCD” to make all citizen-centric services available on mobile phones by March-end next year if it won the municipal election–a key promise in the party’s manifesto, which will be released next week. Promoting night-time economy, participatory governance and time-bound implementation of its poll promises are some other things the party is likely to include in the manifesto.
Former Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay, who heads the party’s manifesto committee, said, “By March 31, 2023, we will launch ‘My MCD’ application to make all services available on the phone. We will focus on making the functioning of the unified corporation faceless or completely online so that citizens don’t have to visit municipal offices to get their work done. This will ensure transparency in the system. We will ensure time-bound delivery of all our promises in our manifesto.”
The manifesto committee also comprises former Delhi BJP chief and MLA Vijender Gupta, leader of the opposition in Delhi assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Delhi BJP general secretary Harsh Malhotra, and party spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor among others.
In its first stint in the unified Municipal Corporation of Delhi between 2007 and 2012, the BJP had made several citizen-centric services, such as procuring birth and death certificates, factory and trade licenses etc. online. However, there was a hitch in the project after the MCD was trifurcated in 2012. The three corporations then worked to provide services online, but not to much success, officials said.
In line with the draft Master Plan of Delhi 2041, which is likely to be notified by next year and comprises provisions to make Delhi a “24-hour city” as well as promote nighttime economy and nightlife, the BJP plans to introduce the concept of night bazaars. Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena recently allowed establishments to open round the clock in a bid to push nighttime economy.
“Like all global cities, Delhi should have a vibrant nightlife. We will take measures to promote the nighttime economy. Indore has a night bazaar and we plan to start something similar in Delhi,” said Upadhyay.
The party recently invited suggestions from the public for its manifesto. Upadhyay said, “We have received over 61,000 suggestions on our portal, as well as thousands of suggestions from various stakeholders. We are in the process of finalizing the manifesto and some of the suggestions we have received from the public are related to participation of resident welfare associations in municipal governance, property tax issues, address waste management issues, shelters for community dogs, etc.”
The BJP is also planning to ensure more citizen participation in governance. “One of the suggestions we have received from stakeholders, especially resident welfare associations, is about more citizen participation. We will take measures to ensure this. We will also focus on encouraging people to opt for sustainable things or solutions to ensure clean and green environment,” said Upadhyay.
Senior leaders said that the BJP, which is seeking a fourth term in the municipal corporation, in its manifesto is also focusing on addressing issues related to property tax. It is also likely to promise measures to provide relief to the trading community, which is the BJP’s traditional support base, to ensure ease of doing business.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party minister Gopal Rai said, “People of Delhi should vote for BJP if they want garbage and filth all around them; but if they want cleanliness and hygiene they must vote for AAP… The BJP has been plundering Delhi for 15 years and has not spare a single mohalla from its extortion racket.”