Delhi MP Khandelwal asks CM to form 'Economic Development Council'

In a letter addressed to CM Gupta, Khandelwal said, “I firmly believe that establishing such a Council would not only provide a new strategic direction to Delhi's economic growth but also play a pivotal role in making the city self-reliant in terms of revenue generation.”

He suggested that a dedicated panel on economic development will also be able to prepare a road map for increasing employment opportunities within Delhi.

The Parliamentarian accused the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government for playing havoc with the city’s economy and pushing it towards policy stagnation.

He wrote, “Over the past decade, Delhi has witnessed a concerning stagnation in terms of economic and trade policy initiatives. As a result, the city's trade, industry, and service sectors are facing significant challenges.”

“In order to ensure Delhi's continued prominence among the country's leading metropolises, it is imperative to implement a dedicated and structured economic development plan. Such a road map would also lead to the creation of significant new employment opportunities within Delhi,” he said.

Khandelwal also drew CM Gupta’s attention towards a Central government report on urban reforms that has also favoured the formation of economic panels in big cities.

Noting that the Finance Ministry is reviewing the urban reforms report, he wrote, “The report submitted by Keshav Verma, Chairman of the Central Government's High-Level Committee on Urban Reforms, highlights the critical need to integrate urban development with economic strengthening and proposes the formation of City Economic Development Councils in all major cities.”

The MP from Chandni Chowk underlined the need to redirect economic strategies in the city by pointing to observations of the Keshav Verma panel that suggested the adoption of brownfield development models.

Brownfield development involves redeveloping or reusing previously used or contaminated properties, often industrial or commercial sites, to promote sustainable land use, urban renewal, and economic growth.

Khandelwal also cited the report to note that in cities like Delhi much of the urban expansion has occurred without structured planning, leading to a distorted urban framework.

“Business activities continue to remain concentrated in central areas, even as the residential population has expanded to peripheral zones,” he said.