CMGSY creates tiff between ZP members and MLAs

With Rs 50.84 crore being earmarked for road development under the Chief Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana (CMGSY), people can expect to see better roads soon but however allocation of grant has brought the MLAs and the Zilla Panchayat members at loggerheads with each other.

The funds, which used to come to the Zilla Panchayat members for development has been given to the MLAs for reasons unknown and this move has made the Zilla Panchayat members feel ignored.

Speaking to Deccan Herald Zilla Panchayat CEO P Shivshankar said that Rs 45.45 crore has been granted to seven legislative constituencies in the district. Rs 560.28 lakh has been granted to Bantwal constituency to develop 18.04 kilometres of roads, Rs. 688.49 lakh for Belthangady to develop 20.48 kilometres, Rs. 620.69 lakh for Mangalore to develop 19.89 kilometres, Rs 608.02 lakh for Mangalore North to develop 19.64 kilometres, Rs 699.84 lakh for Moodbidri to develop 20.11 kilometres, Rs 678.77 for Puttur to develop 20.33 kilometres and Rs 689.07 lakh has been granted to develop 20.87 kilometres in Sullia, making it a total of 139.36 kilometres at Rs 4545.17 lakh, he said.

Additional fund

Apart from the Rs 45 crore, additional Rs 3.34 crore has been granted by the state government for specific road work. A total of Rs 2.5 crore has been granted to seven taluks for maintenance of roads. Under this fund, Belthangady has received Rs 50 lakh, Rs 31.10 lakh for Bantwal, Rs 37.83 lakh for Puttur, Rs 22.62 lakh for Mangalore, Rs 24.37 lakh for Moodbidri, Rs. 12.21 lakh for Mangalore North and Rs. 71.87 lakh for Sullia.

“The State government’s move to allocate funds to MLAs seems to be like a conspiracy to curtail the powers of Zilla Panchayat. This is clearly against the constitutional right of the Panchayat elected members,” says Sucharitha Shetty, a member and the former President of Zilla Panchayat.

Endorsing his views, ZP member Mamatha Gatti said that let there be clear demarcation in flow of funds.

 “Let MLAs have their right but at the same time, let the ZP members have their rights intact as well, because even we are people’s representatives,” she said. However countering the view of the ZP members, MLA U T Khader says that if the Zilla Panchayat members have issues with it, they should discuss it with the government.

“The MLAs are just following the guidelines given by the government,” Khader said.

Increase of roads

The survey conducted in 2005-2006 showed that about 4,000 kilometres of roads, which come under Zilla Panchayat was notified in rural areas. There has been a drastic increase in the road extent since then and a survey conducted in 2010 shows that there is 11,000 kilometres road under ZP.

“The roads not being notified in the earlier survey and increase of roads due to expansion of villages could be the main reasons. With the increase of roads there is no proportionate increase of funds,” regrets the CEO.