Delhi?
The speed with which any task is undertaken when people themselves take decisions regarding the development in their area can be proved from the fact that people are continuously attending mohalla Sabha meetings in two wards of Delhi i.e., Sundernagri and Trilokpuri. It's not been long since such meetings started in these areas but the way the development process has geared up and people have started noticing change around them is a remarkable achievement. People in this area no longer run to MCD offices for petty works like old age or widow pension. These people are being provided pension in mohalla Sabha. Not only this, the meeting is held every month wherein concerned officers come and assure people to take action related to their problems. If they don't take action people raise questions in the next meeting and the officers are answerable to them.
The success of mohalla Sabha in Trilokpuri can be measured from the fact that:
- 250 people received old age pension
- 1 crore budget had been passed related to cementing of roads in mohalla Sabha and today work is done in nearly all roads in the area.
- Shila Devi residing in block 34 received Rs. 20,000 as help for her daughter's marriage through mohalla Sabha meeting.
- Residents of pocket 3 faced problems related to sanitation in the area. After the first mohalla Sabha meeting the names and phone numbers of people concerned with cleanliness in the area were provided to the residents. It was also decided that the attendance register will be maintained and if work is not done properly their salaries will be cut. In the next and several other meetings people showed satisfaction and agreed that decision taken in mohalla Sabha proved to be fruitful.
Likewise, after the mohalla Sabha meeting several works were undertaken in Sundernagri as well. For instance,
- People were fed up of gambling in the area which was rampant. When this issue was raised in mohalla Sabha meeting, SHO strictly gave orders to inform in case gambling takes place again and he would take appropriate steps. The result was astounding as people say that gambling doesn't take place now.
- The boundary wall of one of the parks in the area was dilapidated. In the mohalla Sabha Junior Engineer promised to get the work done as soon as possible and the work was done the very next day.
- People started getting pension.
Most of the decisions taken in mohalla Sabha were achieved but there were some cases where action could not be taken due to technical difficulties.
ASI of MCD is of the view that mohalla Sabha is a remarkable step in the direction of people's participation in governance. He feels that such meetings provide platform for officials to interact with people and know their problems.