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Municipal Finance

No double benefit: 3,500 pensioners struck off MCD list

Monday, 26 April 2010 11:18 administrator
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Indian Express 26.04.2010

No double benefit: 3,500 pensioners struck off MCD list

Express News Service Tags : corporation, employee Posted: Monday , Apr 26, 2010 at 0314 hrs

New Delhi: The names of 3,583 beneficiaries of various pension schemes were struck off from the rolls by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) after it found that these pensioners were enjoying the benefits from the civic body as well as the government.

The issue was taken up after an inquiry was conducted by the MCD following complaints it received last year about irregularities in the pension scheme for the elderly, widows and the physically challenged. The corporation had said a detailed inquiry would be held to identify the beneficiaries who were collecting double pension. According to sources such beneficiaries have been identified and their details have been checked and verified with the Social Welfare Department.

After verification, the names of 3,583 beneficiaries have been deleted from the pension list of MCD and the zonal deputy commissioners of the civic body have been directed to take action to recover the amount of pension illegally received by them. According to rules, a person can avail such a benefit either from the MCD or from the Delhi government.

ccording to officials, the highest number of such pensioners were found in MCD West Zone (932), followed by Shahdara North (618), Civil Lines (445), South Zone (399), City Zone (262), Rohini (249) and Shahdara South (218).

To prevent such irregularities in the future, deputy commissioners of the 12 zones of MCD have been instructed to send details of pensioners to the Social Welfare Department regularly. The MCD also plans to take steps to verify details of the pensioners and prepare a software which could help in checking duplicate payments, a senior official said.

Last Updated on Monday, 26 April 2010 11:19
 

Civic body proposes Rs 1.5-cr project to make city green

Saturday, 24 April 2010 08:26 administrator
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Indian Express 24.04.2010

Civic body proposes Rs 1.5-cr project to make city green

Raakhi Jagga Tags : corporation, project Posted: Saturday , Apr 24, 2010 at 0019 hrs

Ludhiana: The local Municipal Corporation on Friday called a meeting of 50 park management committees (PMCs), whose contracts had expired in March but have not yet been renewed yet. Suggestions from members of the PMCs were sought on how to make the city green.

Mayor Hakam Singh Giaspura, Senior Deputy Mayor Parveen Bansal and a few officers were present in the meeting. A project worth Rs 1.5 crore, under which 10,000 saplings will be planted along with tree guards (one costs around Rs 1,000), was also proposed.

The plan is to give out the plantation work on contract basis, while a huge team of MC employees of the Horticulture Wing take home annual salaries of Rs 3.5 crore.

Bansal said, “We will be calling school and college authorities as well in the next meeting and if they are ready to maintain some areas on their own, we will provide them saplings and the rest we will get planted on contract basis.”

He further said: “In many areas, saplings are planted but they are not maintained properly. This problem was highlighted by many PMCs today. So we thought of outsourcing the project. The contractor will plant the sapling and maintain it for two years. We will provide the sapling and tree guards.”

Meanwhile, MC authorities allegedly invited PMC members on a “pick and choose policy” and did not invite president of the PMC Federation S S Chana.

Talking to Newsline, Chana said: “At present, about 400 parks are being maintained by the PMCs but more than 350 parks are still in a bad shape in the city. Authorities should first think of maintaining those green belts or at least give them to PMCs rather than making more plans.” Bansal, however, said they plan to involve the public in the green drive. We will gift saplings to all public representatives at meetings, he said, while adding that contracts of PMCs will be renewed soon.

Last Updated on Saturday, 24 April 2010 08:32
 

Cash-starved GHMC makes list of properties

Thursday, 15 April 2010 01:55 administrator
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The Hindu 15.04.2010

Cash-starved GHMC makes list of properties

Special Correspondent

It has several municipal markets, vacant lands leased out to different parties fetching meagre returns

Preliminary reports indicate there are 249 properties and over eight acres owned by GHMC

There are no proper records about the extent of properties, rents fixed and occupants

HYDERABAD: Only when it was staring down the barrel due to the financial crunch, has the GHMC decided to look afresh at maximising its own properties.

It has several municipal markets and vacant lands leased out to different individuals and organisations fetching meagre returns.

What is worse is that no proper records are being maintained either about the extent of properties, rents fixed or collected, present occupants, etc.

Comprehensive survey

A comprehensive survey of all the properties of the corporation -- shops, markets, open spaces and so on -- has been taken up in the last couple of months to make a correct inventory.

Preliminary reports have indicated that there are 249 properties and little more than eight acres of land owned by the municipal corporation. Twenty-seven have been leased out to non-governmental organisations, 16 to education and health purposes, 106 commercial properties and 100 other structures as quarters.

Some of the property leases or rents have been given since 1965 ranging over periods of nine years, 20 years and 35 years but records have either been missing or are not up to date.

“We do not even have demand collection books to raise fresh notices,” explained Additional Commissioner (Planning, Projects & Estates) K. Dhanunjaya Reddy.

Issue of notices

In several cases, payments were due, contracts have either lapsed, expired, properties have been sub let out illegally to others with the ‘owner' having no clue at all. What the estate wing has been asked to do now besides measuring and gathering information, is to issue notices to all the present occupants of various shops and lands to provide details of the rents being paid and how long they have been using the premises.

Once, the inventory is completed there is a proposal to hike the rentals frozen for several years.

Last Updated on Thursday, 15 April 2010 01:57
 
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