Audit dept raps GLADA for ‘wasting’ Rs 44 lakh on LED streetlights
Thursday, 20 June 2013 11:04
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The Indian Express 20.06.2013 Audit dept raps GLADA for ‘wasting’ Rs 44 lakh on LED streetlights
The base on which pillars will be erected to install LED streetlights, along with the Ferozepur road in Ludhiana
The LED streetlights meant for the beautification of the city has
actually been revealed to have burnt a hole in the pocket of the Greater
Ludhiana Area Development Authority (GLADA).
GLADA had purchased 548 LED streetlights from M/S Phillips,
Electronics India, Gurgaon at a rate of Rs 8,190 each, taking the total
amount to Rs 44,88,120.
According to the audit report (a copy of which is with Newsline)
by the Indian Audit and Accounts Department, Chandigarh, dated April 5
this year, which has been accessed by the Council of RTI Activists,
Ludhiana, the department has slammed GLADA for 'blockade of funds to the
extent of Rs 44.88 lakh for more than one year and also loss of
interest to the tune of Rs 2,24,406 to GLADA (simple interest at rate of
5%).'
The audit report has also questioned GLADA on why the material could not be utilized so far for the work it was purchased.
The lights were received by GLADA on Jan 22, 2012 and payment was
made to the supplier firm on February 14, 2012. Half of the warranty
period for these lights, for which GLADA was given a warranty period of
three years since Jan 22, 2012, had already ended while they lay in the
store room of the GLADA office.
The audit department has rapped GLADA, demanding that 'the person
responsible for untimely purchase without assessing the requirement and
non completion of work on time' be intimated to the audit.
The lights were to be installed on the stretch of Ferozepur road
from Sidhwan Canal bridge till the Municipal limits, the six laning for
which is still on and work is lying incomplete.
However, the poles on which lights have to be perched can be seen installed on the stretch. A GLADA officer, when contacted, however blamed the contractor. Shaadi
Singh, head of the Divisional Electric Department, GLADA, said,
"Actually the contractor doing the six laning of road delayed the work
and thus there was a delay in installing lights. They will be installed
very soon."
LBT deals a blow to PMC, revenue dips
Thursday, 20 June 2013 11:01
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The Indian Express 20.06.2013 LBT deals a blow to PMC, revenue dipsWith a mere Rs 70 crore coming in two months since octroi was
abolished and local body tax (LBT) introduced, the Pune Municipal
Corporation (pmc) may have a tough time implementing projects passed in
the civic budget.
LBT is not matching the revenue octroi had yielded. With LBT from
traders falling way short of the octroi collection of around Rs 100
crore a month, the civic administration is looking at LBT from property
deals to enhance revenues.
"Revenue from LBT has been low compared to the expectation that
collection will be equivalent to octroi. Octroi collection was over Rs
100 crore per month. The situation is grave now. We have to be cautious
while spending civic money," said PMC chief accountant Ulka Kalaskar.
She said that all civic departments have felt the impact of LBT
and they are cooperating in financial management by taking appropriate
steps to control expenditure.
No major project has been started this year so far, Kalaskar
said. But there are big projects that are on and will continue. "To
overcome a possible shortfall in LBT, the department concerned has been
asked to get LBT collected by the state registration office from
property dealings. The amount of Rs 48 crore is quite big and would help
PMC overcome a possible shortage," she added.
Joint Municipal Commissioner Vilas Kanade said poor LBT collection is a big concern for civic administration.
"We will begin action against traders not registering under LBT.
The civic administration is fully prepared for taking up the exercise
and will initiate action as per law," he said.
The civic staff will physically verify documents of each trader,
Kanade said adding that the exact number of traders coming under LBT
will be clear after the administration completes physical verification
of documents.
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Rs 6.78 cr loan given to over 2,000 women SHGs
Friday, 07 June 2013 07:55
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The Pioneer 07.06.2013 Rs 6.78 cr loan given to over 2,000 women SHGsThe state woman and child development department, under the
loan scheme of Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh, has sanctioned Rs 6.78 crore
loan to over 2,000 women self help groups of the state during the year
2012-13 for various business.
On the direction of women empowerment, the Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh is
being run to provide loan on easy terms to women self help groups. Under
the scheme the self help groups will be given loan amount of minimum
four and maximum 10 times of their savings amount or maximum Rs 25,000
for the first time. On successful refund of loan given at first time,
they would be given Rs 50,000 loan for the 2nd time.
Woman and child development department officers said that during the
year 2012-13, Rs 6,78,50,000 loan had been distributed to the women self
help groups in 2,970 cases. With this loan amount the women self help
groups carry out income-oriented works like preparation of burry,
pappad, achar, masala, dalia, murabba, Chhattisgarhi vyanjan, sanitary
and phenyl, textile shops, got rearing, fisheries, Kosa krimi palan, lac
cultivation, mushroom production, crafts works on bamboo etc.
They said, under the Chhattisgarh Mahila Kosh loan scheme, for the
first time Rs 3,68,30,000 loan had been distributed to 2,244 women self
help groups and on the second time Rs 3,10,20,000 had been given to 726
groups.
The officers said that in North Bastar (Kanker) district loan Rs 32.40
lakh was given to 87 women self help groups. Similarly, Rs 11.70 lakh
has been given to 86 groups in Mahasamund district, Rs 23.15 lakh to 123
groups in Kabirdham district, Rs 48.05 lakh 193 groups in Durg
district, Rs 29.60 lakh to 111 groups in Korba district, Rs 46.75 to 140
cases in Bilaspur district and Rs 1.60 lakh to 56 groups in Jashpur
district.
Similarly, Rs 17.85 lakh loan has been given for 100 cases in Korea
district, Rs 31.85 lakh for 100 cases in Dhamtari district, Rs 91.50
lakh for 237 cases in Janjgir-Champa district, Rs.9.75 lakh for 31 cases
in Surguja district, Rs 1.14 lakh for 254 cases in Raipur district, Rs
45.45 lakh for 653 cases in Rajnandgaon district, Rs 25.10 lakh for 135
cases in Bastar district, Rs 14.50 lakh for 57 cases in South Bastar
(Dantewada) district, Rs 39.50 lakh for 161 cases in Raigarh district,
Rs 2.20 lakh for 22 cases in Bijapur district, Rs 7.00 lakh for 23 cases
in Mungeli district, Rs 10.50 lakh for 30 cases in Balodabazar
district, Rs 11.75 lakh for 70 cases in Gariaband district and Rs 13.20
lakh for 60 cases in Bemetra district.
Leakage main culprit in water crisis
Friday, 24 May 2013 07:40
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The Pioneer 24.05.2013 Leakage main culprit in water crisisThe problem of acute shortage of potable water in the capital
city would be easily solved if the department takes effective steps to
overcome the problem of leakage in the pipelines.
Additionally, more concrete steps are yet to be taken by the department
concerned for replacing old tube-wells in the region. Despite the fact
that new potable water pipelines were laid by the nodal agencies in the
length and breadth of the capital city, the shortage of potable water in
the region has become a perennial problem as more steps are yet to be
introduced by the nodal agency to connect the lines.
Besides, the department concerned is yet to take effective steps to
keep a tab on unauthorised water tankers that are using the Government
potable water supply to top up their water tankers. Since the water
supply is being done to Nehru Colony, Sanjay Colony and adjoining places
through Parade Ground based tube-well, the disrupted supply of potable
water has become a regular feature in the region due to frequent power
cuts.
Well established sources told that the problem of shortage of potable
water would be easily overcomes, if the Jal Sansthan take effective step
for the installation of mini tube-wells at Preetam Road, Mohini Road,
Green View Colony, Race Course, Raja Road etc. The large area that are
facing the acute shortage of potable water would be easily solve, if the
department concerned installs tubewells at Dangwal Marg, Kalika Mandir
and Neshvilla road. Additionally, residents would surely get respite
from the shortage of potable water, if the state government installs
handpumps at Race Course, Dalanwala, Old Dalanwala, Karanpur, Chukhuwala
Mohalla, Khurbura, Jhanda Mohalla etc. It is to be noted that Dandipur
Mohalla, Khurbura, Jhanda Mohalla, Indresh Nagar, Dhamawala, Old
Dalanwala, Naya Nagar, Paltan Bazar, Luniya Mohalla, DL Road, Tilak
road, Macchi Bazar, Subhash road, Bengali Mohalla, Raja Road, Ghosi
gali, Kedarpuram, MDDA Colony, Rajpur road and adjoining localities are
facing the problem of acute shortage of potable water.
Besides, the problem of shortage of water is also worst in the tough
hilly terrains parts of State as more potent steps are yet to be
introduced by the department concerned to repair those water pipelines
that were damaged in the natural calamites that struck in the last year.
After expressing concern over the acute shortage of potable water in
the capital city, Raj Kumar, MLA, Rajpur Road said that memorandum was
submitted to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna to redress the
problem of acute shortage of potable water in his constituency. He said
the population of the State has increased in the last one decade,
hence, the State Government should also take effective steps to
introduce new schemes for overcoming the problem of shortage of potable
water.
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