New Delhi:

Lieutenant Governor (LG) V Okay Saxena has accepted quickly dissolving the Delhi Dialogue and Growth Fee (DDCD) and the removing of its non-official members until a mechanism is developed for the screening and choice of area consultants as its vice-chairperson and members, Raj Niwas officers mentioned on Thursday.

Reacting to the event, the Aam Aadmi Social gathering (AAP) authorities in Delhi mentioned it is going to problem the LG’s “unlawful” determination in courts.

In a file noting marked to the Delhi chief secretary, Mr Saxena mentioned your complete train of making the DDCD by the incumbent authorities was solely to increase monetary advantages and patronage to sure favoured political individuals of partisan inclinations.

“Ostensibly, the fee was created to function a coverage think-tank manned by area consultants, on the strains of the Planning Fee/NITI Aayog, in order to supply inputs of governance {that a} political govt assisted by principally generalist civil companies could also be disadvantaged of.

“It was not meant to accommodate favoured people, unelected associates or politically partisan individuals,” the file noting learn.

The LG mentioned the positions of the vice-chairperson and non-official members have been envisaged to be co-terminus with the incumbent authorities.

“Albeit initially these positions have been honorary, they have been subsequently transformed into highly-paid and perked positions, viz. the vice-chairperson, DDCD within the rank, pay and amenities equal to the minister of GNCTD and the non-official members within the rank, pay and amenities equal to the secretary to the Authorities of India,” he mentioned.

Mr Saxena famous that in accordance with the Delhi authorities’s planning division, there isn’t a work allocation amongst the members of the DDCD.

“Subsequently, the continuation of the non-official members, whose appointments have been made in an arbitrary method with out following any process, drawing large salaries just isn’t solely undesirable but additionally patently unlawful. To say the least, it’s a blatant and clear case of nepotism and favouritism in utter disregard of all guidelines.

“Accordingly, the proposal of the service division … for rescinding the appointment orders of the non-official members is accepted,” the file noting learn.

“Moreover, the proposal of the companies division … relating to exploring the opportunity of dissolving the DDCD as an interim measure and many others. … can also be accepted,” it learn.

Within the communication, Mr Saxena cited an April 29, 2016 notification that mentioned the non-official members are appointed by the chief minister within the rank, pay and amenities equal to the secretary to the Authorities of India or as could also be decided by the chief minister.

“Nonetheless, all of the members have been paid salaries within the rank and pay equal to the secretary to GoI, with out exercising any choice of willpower of their pay by the chief minister.

“This clearly demonstrates that the chief minister didn’t train any prudence in figuring out the salaries payable to the non-official members, which ought to have been commensurate with their job description. The cost of such an enormous wage with out such willpower is a transparent violation of the mentioned notification dated 29.04.2016 and is a transparent case of favouritism solely on political issues,” the file noting learn.

The LG has additionally requested the finance division to humanly discover the opportunity of recovering the salaries paid to the non-official members of the DDCD.

In 2022, DDCD Vice-Chairman Jasmine Shah was restricted from discharging his duties and his workplace sealed, whereas the amenities loved by him have been withdrawn following an order issued by the LG.

In a press release, the AAP authorities mentioned the LG’s determination to dissolve the DDCD and take away its three non-official members is “unlawful”, “unconstitutional” and “a brazen violation of the jurisdiction of his workplace”.

Asserting that the DDCD comes underneath the chief minister and solely he has powers to take motion on its members, the assertion alleged that the LG’s sole goal in dissolving the DDCD is “to cease all of the work of the Delhi authorities, which has been his singular contribution to the governance of Delhi ever since he assumed workplace”.

“We’ll problem this unlawful order of the LG within the courts. The DDCD was constituted vide gazette notification dated 29.04.2016, which was accepted by the then LG of Delhi. A plain studying of sections 3 and eight of the notification explains that the non-official members of the DDCD are appointed solely by the choice of the chief minister and solely he has powers to take away any of the members earlier than the completion of their time period.

“Nonetheless, in brazen disregard of present guidelines and legal guidelines in addition to choices of his predecessors, LG Vinai Saxena, performing in collusion with officers of the companies division, has chosen to exceed the jurisdiction of his workplace and tried to usurp the powers of the elected chief minister of Delhi by taking motion on the DDCD. It’s categorically said that the appointment course of for the vice-chairperson and members of the DDCD is much like the method adopted for public commissions in all state governments throughout India, together with in BJP governments,” the assertion learn.

The only goal of Mr Saxena’s “unlawful” order is to cease all of the work and coverage reforms being carried out by the Arvind Kejriwal authorities, it added.

“Within the technique of hating the elected authorities underneath Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, LG Vinai Saxena has began hating the individuals of Delhi. He very nicely is aware of that the DDCD, which acts because the coverage think-tank of the Delhi authorities, has performed a key position in shaping the Delhi mannequin of governance through the years,” it mentioned.

The assertion added that the DDCD has made a defining contribution in shaping many flagship insurance policies and welfare schemes of the federal government, such because the Delhi EV Coverage 2020, the Delhi Photo voltaic Coverage 2016 and 2024 and the Rozgar Bazaar initiative.

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