EDMC failed to spend its sanitation budget: LoP
6 Jan 2016 6:10 AM IST
Though the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) has proposed increase in budget for cleanliness and sanitation from Rs 394 crore to Rs 540 crore for the upcoming financial year, it has failed to spend the original amount of 394 crore during the current year. The Leader of Opposition (LoP), during her budget speech, said that the Corporation has miserably failed to use the fund while there is hue and cry over fund release and special package.
The LoP, Varyam Kaur, said that all big drains of the area should be covered and markets should be constructed over them so that people can get rid of foul smell. Toilets with adequate water facility should be developed in schools on priority basis. Desks procured were of sub-standard quality and are hence rotting in store rooms. The delay in payment of doctors and teachers’ salary on time is adversely affecting these services too. All the necessary arrangement for dealing with dengue menace was being done by the Corporation only when the number of cases had reached a high point.
“The Corporation has failed in keeping records of its properties which leads to encroachment by mafia and builders. Rishabh Jain Primary School is one such example. It has failed to realize its due property tax from government departments such as Delhi Jal Board, Delhi Development Authority etc. A cashless health scheme for staff should also be implemented in letter and spirit. Toll tax and medicines procurement scams were also suppressed by the ruling party,” said Kaur.
Those properties of EDMC which have been taken over by the DMRC illegally while developing station should be taken back or be charged. Instead of increasing the tax rate of property, the net of property tax payers should be widened. Instead of increasing parking rates, illegal parkings should be brought under the Corporation. Tender should be invited again for toll tax collection. Toilet complexes should be handed over to private agencies for repair and maintenance. ATMs should be developed in community centres, she added.
SDMC may face deep financial crisis: Suri
Highlighting discrepancies in the budget proposals for fiscal year 2016-17, SDMC’s Leader of Opposition Farhad Suri on Tuesday pointed out that while the corporation has pegged the fiscal deficit at Rs 200 crore in its yearly budget, a glance at the data suggests that if the services continue the way they are, the corporation will face a deficit of Rs 1,000 crore.
“It has been claimed that though in the current year we are likely to fall short by over Rs 600 crore but our income of Rs 3316.68 (2015-16) of about Rs 100 crore, which is higher than 2014-15, is totally unfounded. If you deduct the Municipal Reform Fund of Rs 150 crore, plus the projected income of Rs 200 crore from House Tax earning and Professional Tax, your collection figures would be around Rs 3,000 crore which would be over Rs 200 crore,” said Farhad Suri, SDMC LoP.
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