New Delhi, Jan 30 (IANS) In a major initiative aimed at making Delhi a clean, hygienic and dust pollution-free capital, the Delhi government has approved a one-time financial assistance of Rs 500 crore to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), an official said on Friday.

The assistance has been released to strengthen the city’s sanitation system and effectively curb dust-related pollution, said Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.

She said that the funds will be utilised for sanitation works and minor road repairs, including pothole filling and patch repairs, to reduce dust generation across the city.

The Chief Minister further announced that, in order to ensure long-term strengthening of the sanitation infrastructure, the Delhi government will continue to provide regular annual financial assistance of Rs 300 crore to the Municipal Corporation in the coming years.

A high-level review meeting was held at the Delhi Secretariat on Friday under the chairpersonship of the Chief Minister. The meeting was attended by Cabinet Minister Ashish Sood, Mayor of Delhi Sardar Raja Iqbal Singh, Chairperson of the Standing Committee Satya Sharma, Leader of the House Pravesh Wahi, Chief Secretary Rajiv Verma, Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Khirwar, along with senior officers of the Delhi Government and the Municipal Corporation.

After the meeting, the Chief Minister said that a portion of the Rs 500 crore assistance will be used to clear long-pending dues of agencies engaged in waste management, enabling uninterrupted and efficient sanitation services.

Another portion will be utilised to meet the recurring deficit in garbage collection and transportation, while funds will also be used to remove accumulated waste from areas where contractors are currently not operational, she said.

The amount will additionally be spent on minor road repairs and dust-control measures, including filling of potholes and small patch repairs, to address dust pollution at its source.

–IANS

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