ASHISH KHETANs MANIFESTO FOR NEW DELHI PARLIAMENTARY

CONSTITUENCY
Why does AAP have a manifesto for New Delhi?
The New Delhi Parliamentary Constituency is, in many ways, a microcosm of India.
This seat is the nucleus of the National Capital Territory and also the prism through
which India is seen by the world. An efficient administration, aesthetic development
and a feeling of safety and security are badly needed here.
For AAP, politics is an interactive process, a constant dialogue. Therefore, I am
getting back to you with my ideas in the hope that you would tell me your thoughts as
well and we will continue this dialogue.
What are the special concerns?
The concerns listed here are relevant to citizens across the country, but New Delhi
Constituency is affected by them in many direct and special ways:
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN PUBLIC PROJECTS
New Delhi and the NDMC area receive massive amounts of funding from the
Central Government. These funds need to be spent after due consultation with
the residents. The single biggest problem facing the residents is that of corruption
and lack of accountability on the part of the administration. I, as your MP, will
put pressure upon all three tiers of administration -- municipal, state and central
-- to ensure responsible and inclusive utilisation of funds.
The passing of the Janlokpal Bill, which is part of our national manifesto, is
aimed at ending the impunity of corruption. Even before that happens, the Aam
Aadmi Party in New Delhi Constituency through its volunteers, 7 MLAs and MP,
will strive to ensure effective action in all corruption complaints.
STREAMLINING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AND ADMINISTRATIVE
REFORM
The Central Government is the single greatest litigant. Government expense on
litigation is immense, a huge drain. By fighting every unwarranted and petty case,
chiefly against its own employees, governments until now have harassed citizens
and caused considerable loss to the exchequer. AAP will put a stop to this
practice.
Realising that over-bureaucratisation becomes a disease in itself, AAP seeks to
usher in a new administrative culture by simplifying procedures. Its legislators
will hold surgeries, as they are called in the West, to be accessible to their
constituents at regular intervals. AAP also wishes to declare loud and clear that it
will turn down any request for a wrongful favour without any hesitation
whatsoever. If any citizen finds a legislator doing otherwise, they should report it
to a public authority.

SECURITY OF WOMEN AND PREVENTION OF CRIME
New Delhi is one of the most highly guarded constituencies of India, with several
ministers, VIPs and industrialists residing in the constituency. In addition, there
are senior bureaucrats, police officers, security agencies and their families. The
irony, however, is that this is still not able to provide a secure environment for
women to travel and work, especially beyond office hours. If New Delhi is like
this one can well imagine the situation in areas outside New Delhi. AAP believes
that the bulk of the time and energy of the police force is spent on the high and
mighty, with the result that the common citizen gets short shrift. Crime in general
and crimes against women in particular, increase in the wake of this. AAP will
strive to ensure a reorientation of the police force towards protecting the common
citizen. The position of the beat constable will be restored; further, supervision by
senior officers over the beat will become an additional routine feature. Of course,
it is critical that Delhi Police is placed directly under the control of the State
Government.
Elimination of dark spots and areas in the constituency for the increased safety of
women will be a priority.
Establishment of women and child welfare centres in each assembly segment will
also be of special concern to AAP.

HOUSING AND URBAN PLANNING
Compulsions of employment have driven large numbers of people into the New
Delhi area, creating pulls and pressures of many kinds. Urban planning has left
much to be desired. Adequate housing, whether through DDA schemes or other
avenues, is a must. Architects, urban planners and any ordinary citizen who takes
the initiative to do so, would be encouraged to participate in the decision-making
process. There should be no monopoly on decision-making by bureaucrats. AAP
will revamp urban planning by bringing in public-spirited experts.
WATER AND ELECTRICITY
Facilities like water and electricity have to keep up with the growing needs of an
increasing population. Hence, the supply of lifeline water and affordable
electricity to every household will be a top priority. This would include:
! free piped water supply of 20 kilolitres per household per month through
metered connections
! mechanism to ensure equitable distribution of lifeline water to all
households
Further, as a Member of Parliament, I shall strive to ensure that the subsidy for
EWS and middle class continues. My effort will be to:
! ensure electricity supply of up to 400 units/month at subsidised and
affordable rates to each household
! focus efforts on curbing the rampant corruption and inefficiency in
generation, transmission and distribution of electricity

EDUCATION
New Delhi boasts the choicest of schools, but parents are in a fret over schools.
On the other hand, the performance of government schools shows a steady
decline due to many a pressure. There is a need to bring government schools on
par with private schools and also to regulate the fees and admission policies of
private schools. Admission in neighbourhood schools should be a right for all and
not a privilege for a few. The land available needs to be utilised for setting up
more schools, both governmental and private. My focus will be on:
! improving the quality of primary and secondary schools
! implementing measures for quality improvement of education in
primary and secondary schools
! education for all at affordable rates and implementation of RTE
! effective implementation of the National Skill Development
Programme for youth for gainful employment
SANITATION
A further major problem that is shared by rich and poor alike is that of lack of
sanitation. There has to be a zero-tolerance policy towards open drains, open
garbage and unhygienic conditions in slums. It is a matter of great shame that in
the 67
th
year of our independence we are yet unable to prevent diseases like
dengue and malaria which are basically the result of unhygienic conditions in the
city. Displaying its skewed priorities the BJP is promising new megacities, while
New Delhi rots. AAPs topmost priority, on the other hand, will be to ensure the
improvement of New Delhis urban infrastructure that is not just obsessed with
superficial beautification.

GOVERNMENT SERVANTS
The largest concentration of Government offices and public servants is in New
Delhi. AAP has given serious thought to the genuine issues of public servants across the
spectrum. Our priorities are as following:
! the need of the hour is a complete revamp of the current political
establishment. The 2G scam, the CWC scam and the Adarsh scam show that
even when honest officers objected, they were sidelined or ignored by the
political leadership. This needs to be addressed
! unjust service conditions and unfair income disparities between government
servants in the lower and higher echelons of the services must be addressed.
Simultaneously, grievances of Grade-IV employees regarding MACP
(Modified Assured Career Progression) scheme must also be addressed
! many government employees, in spite of long years of service, are still bereft
of government accommodation. They are often forced to live in far-flung
places on a higher rent and way below their entitlement. Either there should
be a provision of government housing in New Delhi for government employees
or there should be an increase in their House Rent Allowance
! while medical facilities made available under the Central Government Health
Scheme do not always function well, private hospitals, too, do not co-operate
at times. In fact, access to health facilities is a problem for all and there is a
need for augmentation of existing facilities
! ensuring implementation of the 7
th
Pay Commission report in letter and spirit
with effect from January 1, 2016

VIP CULTURE AND TRAFFIC
VIP traffic affects New Delhi in ways that it does not in other places. The same is
true for the VIP Culture in general. Traffic bottlenecks and a massive inadequacy
of parking spaces is one of the major problems in New Delhi. Our priority will be
to ensure:
! better planning of traffic
! implementation of plans for decongestion of roads
! creation of parking spaces including multi-level parking
HEALTH
The lack of efficient health services for the residents of this constituency is a
major concern for the residents of this vast constituency. We will strive for:
! improvement in the quality of service in government hospitals
! implementation of right to health for all citizens at an affordable cost

UNAUTHORISED COLONIES
As your MP, I will strive to ensure speedy regularisation of unauthorised colonies
in a people friendly manner as already declared by AAP.
AAPs WAY OF DOING POLITICS
The urban well-to-do are worried about order for progress; others are worried about
the order of progress. Progress and development should benefit everybody, unlike in
the current model of development espoused by both the Congress and the BJP where
development only benefits the already prosperous.
It has been said that the essence of a political aspirant is to be all things to all people.
I would like to say that AAP will approach the issue by being balanced rather than by
doing the balancing act. Thus far the major political parties have only attempted
juggling exercises in this regard.
Let New Delhi Constituency not be known as an unsafe city for women or as a
corrupt and crowded place. If people are allowed a say in governance, all these things
will change. Older cities, settlements and neighbourhoods develop their own bonds
of kinship and support that ensure a safe environment for all.
New Delhi Parliamentary Constituency is crying out for such development.
The focus of all our energies will be you: the Aam Aadmi.