Dr.Rao VBJ Chelikani
Some brief commitments that the Resident Welfare Associations are asking the candidates and the political parties to make:
1. Urban citizens do not want free things but more opportunities to participate in governance, and particularly in Ward Committees;
2. Resident Welfare Associations in Apartment Buildings, Colonies and Gated Communities need a more appropriate, uniform and suitable legal recognition and registration;
3. All Public Expenditures of the Governments, by their departments, Boards, Corporations, Commissions and Constitutional bodies should be visible on their websites;
4. Our Foreign policies should be discussed in detail and decided by Parliament;
5. Our expenditure on External Affairs should aim at people-to-people, business-to-business and Parliament-to-Parliament friendship and cooperation rather than on diplomats-to-diplomats reciprocal relations. Instead of bilateral aid, the policy should be to operate through UN Agencies of aid and development.
6. Loans for education and skill-development training should be given to all students, without exception on a long-term basis and with low rates of interest;
7. Housing for all who are working should be assured on low rents and the residents to form self governing Resident Welfare Associations;
8. Universal Social Security for all should be systematised gradually, with self-governing networks of insurance for health care and medical treatment, pension, including other risks like unemployment, damages and losses, physical and mental handicaps, etc. instead of the present piecemeal welfare schemes promised at the time of elections.
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