Our guiding force is anti-corruption: Manish Sisodia unveils AAP's plans for Delhi in exclusive Q&A

From being a journalist to virtually running the Delhi Government, Manish Sisodia has come a long way.

Widely considered to be Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s most trusted aide and long time friend, it is the polite Sisodia who does the tough talking with Delhi administration officials.

He seems to be a man on a mission to change the rules of the game that the political class has for long believed to be firmly established.

Firstpost caught up with Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister who shared AAP Government’s vision for Delhiites over the next few years.

What is AAP’s roadmap for Delhi and what are your top priorities?

I can’t count them because we have many of them. If I mention some, then you will say that I left out some key issues. I don’t want people making holes in our priority list. But what I can tell you is that our guiding force is anti-corruption. We want to give the people of Delhi corruption-free governance, a government that has zero tolerance against extortion or mutual corruption in any form.

Easy governance - that means e-governance where there is a single window and transparent file movement. This means using technology for computerization and easy access. The technology is available, we just need to use it to our advantage.

Trucks run on diesel across the world, and there are cities where more trucks ply but they have less pollution than Delhi. We need to learn from them and apply it. The same applies to issues ranging from Health, Education, Environment, Sanitation, Water etc.

How will you tackle rising pollution?

Pollution is high in Delhi, let’s accept it rather than defend it. Many people make stupid arguments by quoting various studies. But the fact remains that when I breathe, I feel pollution and so does my son and everyone else living in Delhi.

We have to look for our own solutions by both enforcement and collective responsibility. We have taken action against overloaded vehicles plying at night, stopped the burning of leaves in the open and ensuring strict standards in building materials. Even the jhadu in the morning raises dust, and we need to know how to manage it technically.

Cars are parked everywhere so we need to look at ways and means of how to clean those roads. We are talking to students in IIT and colleges, and in a way challenging them to develop some technology for Delhi. I keep telling them that you students are the masters, you can and do it in America, now is the time to do it for your city.

What about various lobbies like illegal industries running in Delhi that releases harmful toxicants and construction mafia?

We need political will to deal with them and we have that. No one can blackmail us that we are a lobby and you have to bow down to us. We will not spare anyone whoever it may be.

How will you tackle issues like Law and Order in Delhi and a separate Police Force?

Police and Land are two issues that are needed for any government to function in a smooth manner. I don’t know who thought of letting these two go from the Delhi Government.

Every morning when I meet people, I get many complaints of harassment by police. I call up the concerned DM and SDM and ask them to take action. We do our best in spite of police not being under our administration.

We never tell the public that we don’t have any powers over the Police, but we ask the DM and other concerned officers to do their best. We have asked the Delhi CP for details of transfer policy and how many people become Station Officers and Traffic Inspectors in the same area.

Our Union Home Minister has so much work to do across the country, but they still insist on keeping Delhi Police under their Ministry.

The land belongs to the people of Delhi, yet they have to pay a heavy price. It is the district magistrate that is asked to acquire land for DDA. after that DDA becomes a property dealer. DDA says that if you want land to build a College for the students of Delhi, then you pay us Rs 4 crore. If you want bus stops to be made for children, then pay us Rs 8 crore. What is this justification?

First you buy land from the people of Delhi and then charge them crores of Rupees. We will take up these issues and bring it before the people. This is a battle that we are fighting.

What about issues relating to water in the capital?

Haryana has not yet released water to Delhi, as maybe they (the BJP government) changed their mind after losing Delhi. Arvind_ji_ is talking to them and the matter is being taken up in court. We need to harness rainwater in Delhi and learn how to use it to our benefit.

Like in Patparganj, there was always water logging near NH-2 in the Pandav Nagar area. I spoke to DDA and asked them to channelize that water into the ground. Now there is no water logging, no traffic snarls and water goes down into the ground for us to use.

We are studying reports on water recycling. Delhi has colonies, 60 percent of which are irregular and we don’t know how we can find Rs 30,000 crore for laying of underground pipes. We are looking at options where we can recycle localized water and treat it there itself from stage 1 to stage 3 (drinking water). We are asking people for solutions and some have already offered.

Are we going to see frequent power cuts in the capital this summer like last year?

Hopefully not this year. Power distribution companies have been told to buy power. We feel the price of electricity should be less and we are waiting for a CAG audit to get over before taking any further decision. We have many plans, but I can’t reveal them at this stage. Wait and see.

What should one expect from the Delhi Budget?

Do you know how our governments make Budgets? Finance Minister and Finance Secretary will sit with all department secretaries to decide it. The concerned Department/Ministry secretary will say that last time we got Rs 100 crore, so this year we should be given Rs 150 crores, the deal is finally struck on Rs 120 crores.

That’s how it happens till now, no one knew whether the figures were real or fictitious, was any essential part left out?

But when you go amongst the people, they want naalas/small bridges to be built. When you ask officials, they say there is no budget for it. But if the politician is powerful, then he will prevail upon the system and make it happen.

Urban Development Ministry had Rs 200 crore, yet as an MLA, I was struggling to get money sanctioned for projects. What we are going to do is start participatory budgeting which will meet people’s demands instead.

We will select 11 assembly constituencies, each will be broken down into 35 segments according to geographical and population indices.

For example, in Patparganj assembly that is one of these 11 chosen ones, I will have 35 meetings in all segments only with voters of that particular area and ask them for their feedback.

We will start with a fund of Rs 20 crore for this only. People will get Rs 20 crore for their demands for the first time, which will total to Rs 220 crore in the first year. We wish we can do the same for all the 70 seats next year.

Out of a total budget of Rs 36,000 crore, the Urban Development ministry spends Rs 1,600 crore on Delhi. We want this to be spent in a major way in assembly segments where people are given a priority in choosing. Suggestions are open to the public, I will have the first meeting on 19th April and I invite you to join us. We will learn from these meetings and ensure better development for our people.

How will you keep balance between you pro-poor image and the rest of Delhi?

I don’t think there is any need for any pro-poor or pro-elite image. We are against corruption, and anyone who does it, we are against them. We are proud to be pro-poor, that at least someone should hear the voices of our poor in the country. We are not snatching money from anyone.

A rich person’s daughter and a poor person’s daughter both are insecure after dark in this capital. It is a wrong notion to divide.