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Municipal Finance

Civic body fails to meet octroi target

Tuesday, 09 February 2010 11:16 administrator
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Indian Express 09.02.2010

Civic body fails to meet octroi target

Tarun Nangia

Tags : corporation, pune

Posted: Tuesday , Feb 09, 2010 at 0313 hrs Pune:

PMC

Targetted at Rs 717 cr, the civic body managed to collect only Rs 542 cr
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), which had set its octroi collection target at Rs 717 crore, managed to collect only Rs 542 crore in the past 10 months. However, as the economy leapt out of recession in the last five months, the collections of the octroi department showed an upward trend.

PCMC officials said that the municipal corporation expects to earn a revenue of Rs 780 crore in the current fiscal year, 2009-10. The municipal corporation was planning to increase taxes noting its falling octroi collections and over-dependence on octroi income to run the house. Recession, octroi waiver to new businesses and concessions in octroi rates to various businesses had an effect on the octroi collection in the past year.

Pimpri-Chinchwad, known as an auto hub, house many auto manufacturers and factories manufacturing auto components. As demands saw a slump last year, the manufacturers were forced to lower their production volumes, which even affected the volumes of the auto component manufacturers. This brought an indirect effect on the octroi collection of the municipal corporation.

In the financial year 2008-09, the octroi department had set a target of Rs 780 crore as octroi revenue, but could collect only Rs 717 crore. The target was the same in 2009-10. Though the collections in the first seven months showed a decline.

From April to October 2009, the octroi collection of PCMC was less than that from April to October 2008. But PCMC collected Rs 5.61 crore more in November 2009 as compared to 2008. In December 2009, the difference increased to Rs 20 crore. Octroi collections touched new heights in January 2010, when the PCMC collected Rs 23.65 crore more as compared to January 2009. In January 2009, the octroi department collected Rs 41.80 crore, the collections increased to Rs 65.45 crore in January 2010.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 09 February 2010 11:35
 

HC asks AMC to pay Rs 50000 compensation to Shahnawaz's kin

Saturday, 06 February 2010 11:37 administrator
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The Times of India 06.02.2010

HC asks AMC to pay Rs 50000 compensation to Shahnawaz's kin

TNN, 6 February 2010, 02:29am IST

AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat High Court has asked Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) to pay Rs 50,000 towards compensation to the family of nine-year-old Shahnawaz Pathan who had died after falling into an open sewage treatment plant in Juhapura in August last year. The boy's body was recovered by fire brigade personnel after a week-long search.

After the boy's death, his father, Faizmohammed Pathan, lodged a complaint against the chief fire brigade officer MF Dastoor and additional executive engineer MK Shah accusing them of criminal negligence. Police booked the officers under Section 304A of the IPC.

Both the officers approached the high court to get the FIR quashed. During the hearing, it was argued that civil liability can be fixed on the civic body, but it would be difficult to attack criminal liability to these two office bearers for the unfortunate death.

However, at the end of the proceedings in the high court, FIR lodged against Shah and Dastoor has been quashed.

After the hearing, Pathan took a stand that he was not interested much in prosecuting the officers. He told the court that if strict criminal liability cannot be fixed, the officers and AMC cannot escape the liability to pay compensation to the family.

On this request, Justice Akil Kureshi observed that compensation cannot be assessed in this criminal writ petition and the family should apply to other proper forum for full-fledged compensation. However, looking at the manner in which the incident had taken place and considering the fact that the sewage treatment plant is being maintained by the state authority, AMC should be asked to pay some ex-gratia. And the corporation was directed to pay Rs 50,000 to the family.
 

MCD considers a monthly allowance for eunuchs

Tuesday, 02 February 2010 11:12 administrator
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Indian Express 02.02.2010

MCD considers a monthly allowance for eunuchs

Living on the fringes of society and having no substantial source of income, eunuchs in the city can now look forward to a steady monthly income from the city’s civic body. Finally waking up to their plight, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) is mulling over a proposal to lend a helping hand by providing Rs 1,000 per month as a sort of ‘pension’ to all eunuchs in the Capital.

A proposal in this regard was floated by municipal councillor Malti Verma in the budget discussion meeting of the civic agency on Monday.

“If we can provide monetary allowance to widows and handicapped persons as they don’t have a regular source of income, why not eunuchs? They take to begging, which borders on extortion. We are the public’s representative and need to do our bit too,” said Malti Verma, a BJP councillor from Naraina.

If the proposal is accepted by the civic agency, eunuchs in the city will have to get themselves registered with the civic agency and will be eligible to a sum of Rs 1,000 per month. Till now, MCD’s pension schemes cover the physically challenged, the visually impaired, widows and the elderly, among others. The money is distributed through the municipal councillors every month. The councillor decides who all are eligible.

Verma further suggested that they should also be used to carry out tax collection activities as it is done in Pakistan. “In India too, cities like Bhopal take their help for tax collection. We can also get similar benefits by using their services,” she added. “Not only will they get employed but our tax collection will also increase substantially,” said Malti. Recently the civic agency had planned to provide financial assistance to orphans aged less than 24 years with no livelihood support. The proposal is yet to be implemented

Last Updated on Tuesday, 02 February 2010 11:14
 
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