The Hindu 18.09.2009

Delhi Government funding to MCD substantial: Walia

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: Refuting allegations of discrimination levelled by some Municipal Corporation of Delhi leaders, Delhi Urban Development Minister A. K. Walia on Thursday said the Delhi Government had been providing substantial amounts to the civic body for its developmental activities.

Dr. Walia charged that the MCD leaders had been making allegations for political reasons and asserted that the factual position was very much clear from the Delhi Budget figures.

The Minister said the Delhi Government released Rs.3,509.20 crore in the form of Plan and non-Plan budget to the MCD. Of this, Rs.1,169.20 crore was released under Plan head whereas Rs.800 crore was released as grant-in-aid for education, Rs.700 crore as share of assigned taxes on recommendations of the Delhi Finance Commission, Rs.750 crore against duty on transfer of properties and Rs.90 crore as one-time parking charges collection by the Delhi Government at the time of registration of vehicles.

As far as fund generation by the MCD was concerned, he said, the major generation was Rs.850 crore from property tax, Rs.300 crore from tax on advertisement, Rs.240 crore from tax on electricity, Rs.1,102 crore from miscellaneous income, Rs.128 crore against reimbursement of cost of the administrative charges from different schemes and Rs.187 crore from toll tax.

“It is, therefore, evident,” he said, “that the share of the Delhi Government in the total funds with MCD was substantial.”

The Hindu 16.09.2009

Civic body in Catch 22 situation

HYDERABAD: Cash-strapped Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) could have turned towards its own assets like the existing markets and shopping complexes to garner the much-needed extra income. Sadly, it’s in no position to make use of them productively due to lack of initiative to modernise or hike the rentals.

The civic body is sitting on prime real estate with as many as 25 markets having 2,376 shops and 21 shopping complexes with 685 shops spread across the twin cities in crucial locations like Panjagutta, Malakpet, old jail, Chikkadpally, Ramgopalpet, etc. While quite a number of shops in either of them have been lying vacant for sometime, poor maintenance and delay in finalising quantum of rental enhancement is keeping away potential tenants.

Poor income

Annual income of Rs. 16.28 crore as rents from both the markets and shopping complexes appears sizeable when the fact is it could easily be doubled if not trebled provided adequate measures are taken to modernise them. It could also issue the shops afresh considering many tenants pay ridiculously low rents.

For more than a decade, GHMC has been contemplating to go for fresh constructions in these sites especially those of the old markets. The proposed new markets were to have adequate parking facility even while ensuring that none of the existing tenants lose out. However, these plans have not taken off despite a couple of firms making designs available and presentations made to powers that be.

“We have not been able to find suitable spaces to relocate the existing tenants to take up new constructions,” explained an official. Current rentals could have been enhanced in the meantime but it got lost in a maze of bureaucratic hassles. A private agency assigned for the task of fixing proper rents last year is yet to submit any report. So far, there is no indication of the estate wing taking any steps to nudge the agency.