Delhi Civil Society demands 5 welfare schemes for residents
Members of Delhi’s civil society, along with a joint body representing more than 2,500 resident welfare associations (RWAs), have urged the political parties to introduce five key welfare schemes for the residents in their election manifestos.
These schemes, which the groups argue will focus on sustainable nation-building and dignified labour, aim to counter the growing reliance on freebies in the political discourse while improving the living standards of the city’s residents.
The first demand is for the prime minister national building & earning guarantee programme (PMNBEGP), which seeks to provide a minimum of Rs 8,000 per month to eligible households. The scheme is designed as a right to work and earn initiative, offering at least 10 days of paid work each month for skilled and semi-skilled workers.
Additionally, the nation builders’ pension scheme aims to address the lack of pension support for non-government employees, business owners, and the self-employed. Under this scheme, individuals who pay income tax would see 20 per cent of their total tax paid returned to them as a pension once they reach the age of retirement. The groups also propose linking an individual’s tax paid over their lifetime, including GST, with their PAN number.
The third major proposal is the citizens support programme, which includes two components. One is a health insurance plan designed to reduce premiums for retirees who, while needing more medical services, have less income. The programme also suggests that beneficiaries of the PMNBEGP and the Nation Builders Pension Scheme automatically receive benefits from the Ayushman Bharat scheme.
The fourth demand focuses on road safety, transport, and accident victims’ compensation. The groups propose full compensation for victims of road accidents, fire, and disasters, covering their hospitalisation and livelihood expenses.
Lastly, the groups are calling for reforms in property tax grants. According to the RWAs, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has struggled with collecting property taxes, which hampers municipal services. With approximately 65 lakh registered consumers under the Delhi electricity distribution companies (DISCOMs), but only around 12 lakh registered property tax payers, the groups are asking the state government to allocate grants to the MCD equivalent to the value of waived property taxes in underdeveloped colonies.
