No crisis of funds: MCD babus
19 July 2012 6:28 AM IST
East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) has been branded the weakest among the three municipal corporations by the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP), as it has minimum resources of revenue and minimum budget.
The leaders of the ruling party and deliberative wing in the corporation leave no chance to blame Delhi government for not providing them grants and funds required to run the corporation.
‘Budget is the main hurdle in executing our projects. We are still struggling for necessary infrastructure in our offices. The contractors are demanding their dues and are not ready to take up new projects,’ said Annapurna Mishra, Mayor EDMC.
The same was uttered by Standing Committee Chairman and other office bearers of the deliberative wing.
Contrary to their claims, municipal commissioner claims there is sufficient fund in the account of the corporation. ‘We have enough funds to run the corporation and also our projects.
Delhi government has also released the first instalment of the funds allocated to us,’ said S S Yadav, Commissioner of EDMC.
The data provided by the Accounts department of the corporation also support his claims. As per the records, a copy of which is with Millennium Post, EDMC has received the first instalment of Rs 102.4075 crore from Delhi government.
The cheques started to come to the corporation from the last week of June and the full amount came in the account of EDMC by the second week of July. Furthermore, the first instalment of plan schemes of Rs 76 crore has also reached to the account of EDMC. In addition to the first instalment of the ‘loan’ amount of Rs 110 crore has also been released by Delhi government, which was expended in providing two months’ salary to the employees. The corporations, however, have been demanding this loan to be given as grant-in-aid.
‘Let us first expend the money we have with us. I categorically want to say we have sufficient money to implement all the projects passed by the house including lap-top for councillors and computers in the office,’ replied Yadav when asked if he needs grant from Delhi government.
When asked, ‘If you have enough money, why don’t you purchase lap-tops for councillors,’ Yadav replied, ‘I am yet to receive a formal demand for it from the office of municipal secretary. I am ready to release the funds as soon as I receive the documents.’
According to the data provided by the Accounts department, demand for only Rs 52 crore was pending with the corporation by 16 July 2012.
When asked whether NDMC is facing any financial crisis, Yadav bluntly replied, ‘No’.
‘There might be financial crisis in North or South Delhi Municipal Corporations but not in EDMC. Our’s is a fully financially viable corporation,’ added Yadav. The only amount of EDMC pending with Delhi government is Rs 339 crore, which is given on the basis of performance and is likely to be released in the second quarter. The delay in release of the funds was due to late sending of budget by the corporation. Usually we send the budget in February and the money comes by May but this time due to trifurcation and elections, the budget was sent to Delhi government in the first week of May,’ said a senior official of Accounts department on condition of not publishing his name. The budget of EDMC is around Rs 1,100 crore. Rs 420 crore comes as loan and Rs 320 come as grant from Delhi government. The corporation has to collect Rs 350 crore from its own resources. So far, it has collected Rs 125 crore, mainly as property tax, trade tax, conversation charges and other taxes.
‘They just believe in blame game but are not sincere in getting the work done. If they feel financial problems, they should adopt new measures to increase their revenue,’ said Varyam Kaur, Leader of Opposition in EDMC.
The leaders of the ruling party and deliberative wing in the corporation leave no chance to blame Delhi government for not providing them grants and funds required to run the corporation.
‘Budget is the main hurdle in executing our projects. We are still struggling for necessary infrastructure in our offices. The contractors are demanding their dues and are not ready to take up new projects,’ said Annapurna Mishra, Mayor EDMC.
The same was uttered by Standing Committee Chairman and other office bearers of the deliberative wing.
Contrary to their claims, municipal commissioner claims there is sufficient fund in the account of the corporation. ‘We have enough funds to run the corporation and also our projects.
Delhi government has also released the first instalment of the funds allocated to us,’ said S S Yadav, Commissioner of EDMC.
The data provided by the Accounts department of the corporation also support his claims. As per the records, a copy of which is with Millennium Post, EDMC has received the first instalment of Rs 102.4075 crore from Delhi government.
The cheques started to come to the corporation from the last week of June and the full amount came in the account of EDMC by the second week of July. Furthermore, the first instalment of plan schemes of Rs 76 crore has also reached to the account of EDMC. In addition to the first instalment of the ‘loan’ amount of Rs 110 crore has also been released by Delhi government, which was expended in providing two months’ salary to the employees. The corporations, however, have been demanding this loan to be given as grant-in-aid.
‘Let us first expend the money we have with us. I categorically want to say we have sufficient money to implement all the projects passed by the house including lap-top for councillors and computers in the office,’ replied Yadav when asked if he needs grant from Delhi government.
When asked, ‘If you have enough money, why don’t you purchase lap-tops for councillors,’ Yadav replied, ‘I am yet to receive a formal demand for it from the office of municipal secretary. I am ready to release the funds as soon as I receive the documents.’
According to the data provided by the Accounts department, demand for only Rs 52 crore was pending with the corporation by 16 July 2012.
When asked whether NDMC is facing any financial crisis, Yadav bluntly replied, ‘No’.
‘There might be financial crisis in North or South Delhi Municipal Corporations but not in EDMC. Our’s is a fully financially viable corporation,’ added Yadav. The only amount of EDMC pending with Delhi government is Rs 339 crore, which is given on the basis of performance and is likely to be released in the second quarter. The delay in release of the funds was due to late sending of budget by the corporation. Usually we send the budget in February and the money comes by May but this time due to trifurcation and elections, the budget was sent to Delhi government in the first week of May,’ said a senior official of Accounts department on condition of not publishing his name. The budget of EDMC is around Rs 1,100 crore. Rs 420 crore comes as loan and Rs 320 come as grant from Delhi government. The corporation has to collect Rs 350 crore from its own resources. So far, it has collected Rs 125 crore, mainly as property tax, trade tax, conversation charges and other taxes.
‘They just believe in blame game but are not sincere in getting the work done. If they feel financial problems, they should adopt new measures to increase their revenue,’ said Varyam Kaur, Leader of Opposition in EDMC.
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