Seeking the support of corporates for making Delhi a clean and modern city in the next five years, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday invited them to invest in New Delhi even as he promised that their money will not be wasted.
Speaking at the National Conference and Annual Session of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Kejriwal said, "I have a dream of a new and modern Delhi and it can be achieved, but not alone. I invite you all to join hands with us to achieve the dream of a clean, modern Delhi for everyone."
Speaking at a session on 'Economic Development of Delhi', Kejriwal said that even though there were many critics of his government, everybody admits that it is honest.
He vowed to put Delhi among the top-five corruption-free cities of the world in the next five years and spoke about ensuring a similar standing for it in terms of ease of doing business. He lauded the VAT amendment as a landmark step taken by the government with an eye on easing the business atmosphere.
The chief minister said that his government is working on a proposal to attract private partnership in the operations of Delhi Transport Corporation.
"I was told that we need to buy 1,000 more DTC buses, but we don't have the money to buy it. The demand in Delhi is for more than 1,000 buses. So, I asked the Chief Secretary to draft a proposal to invite private players to participate in the transport sector.
"We will make fair rules and implement it. We will also take action against violators. If we manage to make the proposal attractive, then I am sure we will get more than 10,000-20,000 buses," Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal sought the views of the corporates on various issues like water recycling, cleaning of the Yamuna, pollution control, solid waste management, cleanliness, roads, transport and Wi-Fi. He also said that his government would come up with a 'single-window clearance' system for industries.
The Delhi chief minister also stressed on the role of technology for dealing with the problems affecting the city.
"Technology can play a big role in solving issues of the city. Around 50 per cent of Delhi does not have sewage links and 20 per cent of the city does not have water pipes. The CEO of Delhi Jal Board has given an estimate of Rs 30,000 crore for laying pipes across Delhi.
"So, we are looking at technology to recycle water. A small water-treatment plant can be set up for a cluster of 100 houses and treated water can be used again by the households in the same community. The amount we take for sewage development and water development charges, the same amount can be used to set up these small plants," Kejriwal said.
Delhi does not have its own source of water, around 70-80 million gallons per day (MGD) of water is generated from groundwater and the rest is taken from Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, he said.
"Delhi is a growing city; So, we have to look for a solution. Even Yamuna has turned into a drain. German delegates met me and suggested how they cleaned rivers in their country. I will welcome ideas on cleaning the Yamuna and storage of its water during the rainy season by recharging groundwater or by making lakes near the river," he said.
The chief minister asked CII to study international practices to deal with the issues of pollution, cleanliness and solid waste management.
"Pollution has become a big problem for us and solving solid waste management issues is not rocket science. If someone can do a study of practices in developed countries, we can identify the technology and will call for a global tender for cleaning our city," Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal also called for the use of machines to clean the roads of the city and said that the government has already started a pilot project in that regard in some parts of the city.
Talking about the Wi-Fi project, Kejriwal said that it was a "small dream", but an infinite business opportunity.
"When we promised to give free Wi-Fi in all of Delhi, our dream was not that big.
"Now, we have found that to give free Wi-Fi services, we don't have to spend money, instead we will be paid for it. It opens up a huge business opportunity if the entire city gets free Wi-Fi. There are infinite business possibilities," Kejriwal said.
Speaking about the mandatory stipulation for corporates to give two per cent from their profits towards CSR, the chief minister invited them to invest in new schools and hospitals in the city.
"I will ensure your money is utilised for the development of the city and is not wasted," Kejriwal said.
Also, Kejriwal said that the safety of both the elderly and women was a serious issues and he is going to write to the Delhi Police Commissioner to chalk out a joint plan. The letter to the commissioner will also address the issues of traffic and pollution in the city, he said.
