Claiming that it has released the first installment (25 per cent under plan head) of funds to three municipalities for 2016-17 fiscal, the AAP government has requested the Centre on Thursday to provide Rs 4,087 crore to Delhi as special grants-in-aid for 2015-2020 period as per 14th Central Finance Commission.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to include Delhi in the scope of grants-in-aid while drafting the terms of new Central Finance Commission.
“The 14th Central Finance Commission allocated grant-in-aid of Rs 2,87,436 crore for local bodies for 2015-2020 period. However, Delhi has been omitted from this grant altogether on the argument that only states are covered under the scheme of Central Finance Commission,” the letter said.
The Delhi government said it has released ‘global share’ - the municipalities cut in the city government’s taxes - to the North and East Corporations for 2016-17 financial year.
The declaration comes two days after the newly-elected Mayor of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation Shyam Sharma had met Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung “over non-payment of dues by the AAP government as per the Third Finance Commission despite instructions of the court”.
Loan not recovered
“Global share has been released without any recovery of loan and interest during 2015-16 and 2016-17 to North Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation. During current year, 50 per cent of the Budget Estimates (25 per cent first and 25 per cent second in advance) released to North Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation,” the government said in a statement.
“Proposal for South Delhi Municipal Corporation is under process,” it added.
The government claimed to have released Rs 404.02 crore to the North Delhi Municipal Corporation for 2016-17 fiscal and Rs 170.83 crore to the East Delhi Municipal Corporation for the current financial year. About Rs 171.13 crore has been released to the South Corporation for the same period.
The South Corporation Mayor said that the civic agency has been facing difficulties in carrying out its mandatory functions like sanitation and lifting of garbage. “The city government has been intentionally creating obstacles in the functioning of the corporation.”
Sharma added that he had requested an appointment with the Chief Minister but he was not given time by the CMO.
“It seems that the CM is involved in the politics and he has been neglecting his official responsibilities. If the pending amount is not released it will be difficult for the corporation to release salaries to its employees. It will not be able to pay arrears to safai karmcharis.”
But the Delhi government said that it had given funds to cash-starved municipalities to pay salaries to their employees.
“Loan of Rs 314 crore to North Delhi Municipal Corporation and Rs 237 crore to East Delhi Municipal Corporation have been released for salary during February 2016,” it said.
Sharma said that the disposal of garbage in Delhi has become a “big challenge”. “The landfill site under the South Corporation at Okhla has reached its saturation point.
Seeking his intervention as chairman of Delhi Development Agency, the mayor told the LG that the corporation needs 14 acre land close to the landfill site to be used as dumpyard.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks