New Delhi: Pushing to get Centre's nod for
trifurcation of MCD, Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Friday met
Home Minister P Chidambaram seeking immediate clearance to
the proposal to ensure completion of the process before the
civic polls early next year.
"The discussions are in final stage," officials
accompanying Dikshit in the meeting said. It was Dikshit's
second meeting with Chidambaram in last three weeks in a bid
to get the much awaited nod.
Dikshit, who has been strongly pushing for splitting the
MCD, had apparently raised the issue with Congress president
Sonia Gandhi in a meeting on Wednesday.
The officials said they are expecting the clearance by
the Home Ministry "very soon" following which the assembly
will be convened for seeking approval to a bill for division
of the MCD.
In the meeting with Chidambaram, Dikshit urged
Chidambaram to clear the proposal so that the entire process
could be completed well ahead of coming into force of the
election code of conduct for the municipal polls which are
scheduled to be held in April next year.
The Home Ministry had in September returned the proposal
to the city government wanting to know specifically what would
be the administrative structure, distribution of funds and how
the city government plans to ensure proper coordination among
three proposed bodies. The government had sent a fresh
proposal last month.
Officials said Winter Session of assembly will be called
immediately after getting the go-ahead from the Home Ministry
as a bill will have to be passed by the House to split the
civic body.
PTI
First Published: Friday, November 04, 2011, 23:05