New Delhi: BJP-led municipal corporations in the city on Thursday marked 'Good Governance Day' on the occasion of birthday of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, by cleaning streets, launching new civic schemes and distributing blankets to the needy.
Top officials of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) said, a cleanliness drive was carried out in areas in its Narela Zone, sanitation and other department' staff were also given motivational talk to drive home the message of the day.
"We decided to launch a few new projects on this good occasion, besides carrying out sanitation drive and holding motivational talks for our staff. In Ward No 1, we launched a Rs 6.7 crore road construction and drain water cleaning project," Chairman of Standing Committee of NDMC, Mohan Bhardwaj said.
"We organized motivational talk to some of our staff in Swatantra Nagar area of Narela. They were all largely receptive and understood the importance of the day, but few also whispered, apparently asking why to work on a day, which is otherwise a holiday," he said.
We also distributed blankets to people living in Revli and JJ cluster in the area, Bhardwaj added.
South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) too, observed 'Good Governance Day', as mandated by the Centre, and some of its top officials went and met Vajpayee at his residence to convey their wishes on the occasion to the veteran BJP leader.
"In Vikaspuri area, in the morning, we offered labour by cleaning a public market. Member of Parliament (West Delhi) Parvesh Verma also joined us in our efforts to mark the day, as envisioned by the central government," Standing Committee Chairman of the SDMC Subhash Arya said.
Arya, an old-timer at the BJP, said he addressed a gathering also to share with them his life and times with Vajpayee.
"As a party member, I have many memories with him. Once during the Emergency, he was under house arrest and I had to go see him, so I dressed up as a sardar, met him and took the message, he had to deliver to us, as he was not well," he said.
"Some of us met him today and conveyed our regards. We are also very happy to learn about the decision to give him the 'Bharat Ratna' award," he said.
Arya said, "to further mark the day, we went to a blind school and offered blankets and dry fruits to the 70 students there."
But, opposing voices in the BJP-ruled municipal bodies, asked the relevance of the day, saying "isn't good governance the job of MCD".
East Delhi Municipal Corporation too organised activities to mark the day, that coincides with Vajpayee's 90th birthday.
"Maintaining cleanliness, offering civic amenities and relief to people, isn 't that a mandatory job of the civic bodies? Then, why this special day to tell that...It's all an eye-wash," Leader of Opposition in NDMC Mukesh Goel said.
North Delhi Mayor Yogender Chandolia and Municipal Commissioner P K Gupta also were present at the Karol Bagh Zonal office today to mark Good Governance Day, the NDMC said.
The NDMC, yesterday even launched a Unique Property Identification Code (UPIC) project to bring greater transparency and trace defaulters in its property tax collection procedure, as part of the 'Good Governance Day'.
Chairman of Karol Bagh Ward Committee Rajesh Bhatia yesterday also laid foundation stone of a women toilet at Arya Samaj Road in Karol Bagh, in line with the day.
