NEW DELHI: Education and smart governance were the focus areas of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), which on Tuesday announced its  Rs 4,172.34 cr budget for the financial year 2019-20.
The Council will continue to extend civic services and community facilities to citizens of the New Delhi area in an equitable, non-discretionary and transparent manner, NDMC chairperson Naresh Kumar said, while presenting the budget.

For this, Kumar said, smart electronics and mobile governance would be utilised. “This includes adoption of Block Chain Technology for birth and death certificate application, Wi-Fi in Palika Kendra, 
online bill tracking system, online applications for electricity 
and water connections among others.” 

He said the NDMC has achieved a significant progress in its mission of ‘Making New Delhi a Smart City’, and added that a separate provision of Rs 50 crore was allocated for the purpose. 
Under this, the NDMC would undertake the ambitious project of ‘Integrated Command and Control and Data Centre,’ Digital Experience Centre at Palika Kendra and Smart Pole Project Phase-II for 625 smart poles. These poles would provide Wi-Fi and lighting.

Fibre-based digital connectivity in all schools to NDMC Command and Control Centre through optical fibre, setting-up of digital libraries in the remaining 14 secondary and senior secondary schools, NDMC teachers resource centre, solar benches in all NDMC schools are among initiatives that the civic body has proposed for 2019-20. “Digital libraries in secondary and senior secondary schools set-up with computer peripherals and Wi-Fi network for online books will be opened after the school hours to benefit our students,” Kumar said.

For last mile connectivity, a ‘Public Sharing e-Scooter scheme’ is being finalised to provide a low-cost flexible and environmental friendly system of personalised public transport. “Under this, 1000 e-scooters spread over 100 stations are proposed in the NDMC area,” Kumar said.
At least 100 underground bins will come up in NDMC area to make it a bin-free zone. NDMC has also proposed five static compactors where the generation of garbage is more than 3 ,metric ton per day. To take care of the plastic waste, the Council proposed to install a plastic waste management plant near the compost plant at Okhla in South Delhi.

Also, a ‘Rajpath Development Plan’ was conceptualised with the Government of India. “Cycle/pedestrian pathways, a parking space for 1,000 cars, toilets/utilities and drinking water facilities will also be provided,” the NDMC chairperson said.