The Hindu 30.12.2009
2009 a mixed bag for municipal corporation
Staff Reporter
| VMC receives two awards under JNNURM |
Some development works are completed ahead of schedule
At the end of year, the finances are not rosy
VIJAYAWADA: For the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC), the year 2009 was filled with both brickbats and awards. The city also received kudos for completing some of the developmental works ahead of schedule, and censures when One Town was inundated in August.
The conferring of two awards on the VMC by the Centre in the areas of solid waste management and pro-poor reforms taken up under the JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) programme brought cheers, wile the proposals to levy user charges in garbage collection invited brickbats from people.
The VMC won second prize in National Urban Water Awards for the year 2009. The award was in recognition of the corporation’s successful supply of drinking water to the public. It also received two awards under the JNNURM — ‘Best City Award for Improvement in Solid Waste Management’ and ‘Award for Implementation of Pro-poor Reforms’ in first week of December. In addition, the VMC is rated ‘A-‘ by the CARE in October 2009, and was re-assessed as ISO 9001:2000 compliant Organisation.
The year began with grim finances and is set to end with same note. The VMC’s finances were weighed down by an unending delay in release of funds by the State and Central governments. The corporation eagerly waited for release of more than Rs. 115-crore funds by the State Government during January 2009. At the end of year, the finances are not rosy. About Rs. 100 crores due to the corporation are pending with State and Central governments towards developmental works taken up under the JNNURM. Likewise, the VMC is yet to receive about Rs. 50 crores towards per capita grant, and Property Tax, Motor Vehicle Tax and other compensations.
The corporation’s efforts to streamline the sports and stadiums maintenance received laurels from the sports lovers, and censure from the sports associations as they were asked to furnish details of their activities. On health front, the corporation’s failure was apparent. Four persons died at new Rajarajeswaripeta reportedly due to viral fevers in November. Likewise, the corporation was severely criticised when One Town was inundated for two consecutive days.
BRTS project
The Vijayawada is one of the 15 cities across the country chosen by the MNRE for implementation of the five-year Solar City project, which would help the VMC in recycling its wastes and reduce carbon emissions that have become a threat to the environment. The corporation, however, could not succeed in pushing ahead its prestigious Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS) project as announced. Except completion of BRTS road near Satyanarayanapuram and Sitannapet Bridge, not much progress is seen.
