14th SFC grants for MCC drastically reduced

The allocation for Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) under State Finance Commission (SFC)’s 14th Finance Commission grants has been drastically cut, Opposition leader in MCC Premanand Shetty charged on Wednesday.

Shetty accused the coalition government of playing cheap politics with development funds and told reporters at district BJP office that during 2019-20, the state government had sanctioned Rs 13.53 crore under SFC grant. In 2018-19, the combined allocation under SFC was Rs 15.79 crore.

“The basic grants allotted by the present government, under 14th finance commission, to MCC is Rs 89.21 crore. But an amount of Rs 20 crore, performance grant, is yet to be released,” Shetty said.

“A detailed project report was not prepared for solid waste management under Swacch Bharat grants. The cost has now escalated from Rs 12 crore to Rs 14 crore. Only Rs 70 crore was released out of the Rs 100 crore grant under Nagarotthana programme,” he pointed out.

He accused the MCC of not cooperating with the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI). “This delayed flyover works. But now, the Congress leaders are blaming the MP to cover up their mistakes,” he alleged.

MCC Opposition leaders Roopa D Bangera, Sudhir Shetty Kannur and former Mayor Ganesh Hosabettu were present at the media meet.