Cong too to ask govt to bear canteen cost

Admitting that the condition to bear 70% of operation cost of Indira Canteens is an additional burden on already funds crunch-hit Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagara Palike (HDMP), Leader of Opposition in the HDMP Ganesh Tagargunti charged that the BJP is politicising the issue and is making it an election stunt by planning a protest and a padayatra.

"We would convince District In-charge Minister R V Deshpande and MLA Prasad Abbayya to make the government take steps to bear Indira Canteen operation cost, to release pending pension grants and SFC performance grants before the commencement of Legislature Session at Suvarna Vidhan Soudha in Hubballi, failing which I would stage protest in front of Abbayya's house," he said.

Speaking to media persons here on Saturday, Tagargunti stated that Veeranna Savadi was the mayor in 2014 when the HDMP did not send the proposal for getting pension grants, and since then, the HDMC administration has failed to follow up the issue and get the funds, though Opposition members co-operated.

Demand to govt

Around Rs 38 lakh would be the bill of the first one month of Indira Canteen operations, and after paying that from the HDMP, we would ask the government to bear this cost. BJP is politicising this issue because of its failures and a Congress leader's firm has the contract to operate Indira Canteens. Meanwhile, a BJP worker is running a milk parlour at the Chitaguppi Park where food is also served, he charged.

During the next general body meeting, we would not oppose the proposal asking the government to bear the operation cost of Indira Canteens. There is no scam in Indira Canteen, but the business of hotel owners related with BJP are troubled and they are opposing, Tagargunti said.

'Increase revenue'

HDMP officials are not showing interest to increase the revenue of the HDMP, through tax collection. Bribe is being demanded for tax fixation, while names of tax defaulters are not being disclosed, though big organisations like Infosys, Deshpande Foundation, SDM have not paid the tax amount. Stalls are also not being auctioned, which could generate Rs 100 crore additional revenue, while MLA Aravind Bellad is putting pressure in this issue in Dharwad, Tagargunti added.

Corporator P K Rayanagoudra, and others were present.