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Municipal Finance

South Delhi councillors to get Rs.2-5 lakh for improving cleanliness in their wards

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The Hindu    09.09.2014  

South Delhi councillors to get Rs.2-5 lakh for improving cleanliness in their wards

Councillors in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation will be getting an additional Rs.2-5 lakh each to improve cleanliness in their wards, Leader of the House Subhash Arya said on Monday.

“The councillors can coordinate with the Zonal Deputy Commissioner and the executive engineer of maintenance to get cleanliness in their wards up to the mark,” said Mr. Arya.

At a special meeting on Monday to discuss sanitation, the House decided to allot funds for each ward so cleanliness can be strengthened. Councillors of both the ruling-BJP and the Opposition Congress complained about the lack of sanitation workers and infrastructure like garbage trucks and auto-tippers.

Congress councillors Farhad Suri and Virender Kasana had on Sunday inspected garbage collection points ( dhalaos ) and public toilets across South Delhi. They found dhalaos overflowing with garbage, and some had even become home to squatters and ragpickers.

Mr. Suri, who is the Leader of the Opposition in the SDMC, said there was an urgent need to overhaul the corporation’s policy on public toilets. “The contractors are not maintaining toilets and are just making money from advertising on the complexes. The Corporation should not outsource obligatory duties like maintaining hygiene,” said Mr. Suri.

Mr. Kasana, the Chittaranjan Park councillor, said that the poor level of cleanliness was because the issues raised in Wards Committees were not being addressed. He demanded that an Additional Commissioner attend the Wards Committee meetings so local issues get resolved.

“The situation is so bad that 90 per cent of our public toilets are not connected to water pipes and sewers. And some dhalaos have been illegally sublet,” said Mr. Kasana.

Meanwhile, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation also held a meeting of the House to discuss sanitation on Monday. However, due to chaotic exchanges between the BJP and the Congress, the meeting was adjourned. The North Corporation will now convene on September 15 to discuss cleanliness.

 

22 city libraries to demand civic grants

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The Times of India        19.03.2014

22 city libraries to demand civic grants

 

NAVI MUMBAI: Government- certified libraries in the city will soon make a formal demand to the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) to provide them with grants. These 22 libraries, registered with the charity commission, were awarded government certificates at a function conducted by the Directorate of Libraries in Nerul on March 13

The libraries feel that that it is high time that the NMMC contributes towards their services of promoting reading. Comparisons are also being drawn with the financial aid extended by the Vasai-Virar Municipal Corporation. "If smaller corporations like Vasai-Virar can manage to provide an aid of Rs 1 lakh to government-certified libraries in its jurisdiction, then why can't NMMC initiate a similar action? Libraries play a prominent role in inculcating reading habits among citizens," said president of Prof Manikrao Kirtane Vachanalay Subhash Kulkarni.

The preliminary plan includes bringing city libraries under a single fold and make the NMMC aware about its responsibilities. According to librarians, the civic body's responsibility towards public welfare doesn't end with providing roads, water and electricity. Tax payers also deserve to be provided with well- equipped libraries.

Librarians recalled that around a decade ago, the civic body had shown interest in this regard by granting Rs 5,000 for a year. "The financial assistance didn't last. In fact, it was discontinued the following year," added Kulkarni. Government provides grants to libraries as per their grade, ranging from Rs 48,000 to Rs 2.8 lakh. "There is a huge expenditure incurred in running a library and adding to the challenge is the dwindling interest among the younger generation in reading. Books don't come any cheaper and increasing the library fees won't attract more memberships. So it is a difficult situation," said Vijay Kedare, secretary of Vashi-based Town Library.

When the matter was brought to notice of an official from the estate department, he said, "Such a demand needs to be presented to the commissioner and mayor and finally approved by the general body," he said. 

 

Rs. 51.69 crore for city development

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The Hindu             07.02.2014 

Rs. 51.69 crore for city development

Staff Reporter

Focus on building roads, parking lots, overbridges

The Kozhikode Municipal’s Corporation’s development seminar has set aside Rs.51.69 crore for the comprehensive development of the city, of which Rs.36 crore is for public works development.

The draft action plan of the Corporation has stressed on the construction of roads, office buildings, commercial complexes, parking complexes, comfort stations and overbridges. The maintenance of roads is also given top priority. The main aim is to improve the road network so as to solve the traffic problems of the city scientifically.

The seminar, inaugurated by Deputy Mayor P.T. Abdul Latheef here on Thursday, analysed most of the pressing problems of the city and allotted substantial funds to deal with each issue.

A sum of Rs.5 crore has been set aside for welfare of women and children. The other allotments include Rs.1.5 crore for social welfare, Rs.60 lakh for fishing, Rs. 1.1 crore for poverty alleviation, Rs 7.6 crore for development of Scheduled Castes and Rs. 1.9 crore for health and sanitation.

There are plans to promote organic farming and to promote women’s entrepreneurship projects at industrial estates in Nellikkode, Elathur and Puthur.

LED lights

In an attempt to stave off an energy crisis, the Corporation has decided to replace all bulbs in its limits with LED lights.

There are plans to renovate the Corporation Stadium-cum-commercial complex, old passport office and Indira Gandhi building and take up repair works at six heritage buildings under the Corporation limits.

The fish markets at Central Market, Puthiyangadi, Chakkumkadavu, Pallikki, Naduvattam and Kuttichira will be renovated. Fishermen who harvest mussels will be provided small fishing boats. Safety clothes will be distributed for the workers who handle solid waste for the Corporation. Funds have been allotted for building houses under the Ashraya scheme and food court for Kudumbasree.

 


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