The Hindu                 30.05.2013

Municipality approves project proposals amid din

Staff Reporter

Kottayam Municipality chairman M.P. Santhosh Kumar granted approval to the project proposals for the financial year 2013-14 at a meeting held here on Wednesday. However, the meeting was marred by allegations levelled by the Opposition that the approval was granted without holding enough discussions in the council. The second round of the municipal council meetings was held on Wednesday after the council session held a day before was adjourned following questions were raised over the plan fund allocation.

With the District Planning Council (DPC) scheduled to meet on Thursday, the ruling front in the council was left with no other option than to gain approval for the proposals to submit them before the DPC. Soon after the commencement of proceedings on Wednesday, councillor B. Gopakumar of the ruling UDF front accused the chairman of not conducting the meeting in accordance with the prescribed norms. This was countered by other UDF councillors, V.K. Anil Kumar and M.A. Shaji, who came out in vociferous support of the chairman. As the councillors continued their exchanges, Mr. Kumar announced that the proposals have been approved and later staged a walkout saying that it was in protest against the uncooperative stance of the councillors.

The opposition members alleged that the arguments among the members of the ruling front were part of a pre-conceived script in order to avoid a discussion regarding the fund allocations. They went on to hold a sit-in in front of the chairman’s office. The protest meeting was inaugurated by councillor T.G. Prasannan.

Municipal meet was held in a hurry ahead of district planning council meet.

The Times of India                29.05.2013 

Capacity building of VMC employees begins

VADODARA: Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) has started capacity building programmes for its personnel in association with the labour and employment department of the state government. The courses will be conducted through the Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Tarsali.

VMC is planning to train its employees and workers on contract at the ITI in the disciplines of gardening and building and construction. The employees taking up the courses will have to undergo 90 hours of training for each of these courses that will last around 30 days.

VMC director (projects) C M Makwana said a memorandum of understanding (moU) was signed regarding the two courses in the presence of VMC commissioner Manish Bhardwaj and officials of the labour and employment department. Makwana said more MoUs would be signed regarding other courses.

The courses that are being considered for capacity building include fire safety, soft skills and hospitality. Separate MoUs will be signed for these courses. Makwana said the duration of the courses varies depending on the discipline. He added the courses are essentially aimed at improving the skills of VMC employees for better performance.

Makwana added that the courses were based on the guidelines and syllabi of Gujarat Council of Vocational Training ( GCVT). "They will be able to learn with work and will also be given a honorarium for the courses besides certificates," Makwana added.