The Hindu 19.01.2011
MCD short of 70,000 desks
Commissioner asked to take action within three months
The Municipal Corporation of Delhi is reportedly running short of about
70,000 desks in its schools since 2004 owing to “bureaucratic inaction”
in resolving the matter, according to MCD Standing Committee chairman
Yogender Chandolia.
The matter of shortage of desks was raised at a meeting of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Tuesday.
Mr. Chandolia said: “Since 2004 there has been a
shortage of about 70,000 desks in MCD schools and children have been
studying by sitting on durris or rugs. After a vigilance enquiry
was undertaken in 2004 to look into the matter of purchase of desks,
acquisition from the previous agency was discontinued. Thereafter,
efforts had been taken to buy desks through three government agencies
but the deal was rejected owing to either poor quality or high cost of
desks.”
“Unfortunately after that no efforts were make to solve
the issue and fill the required shortage. There are separate funds
allocated to ensure such provisions, so fund shortage is not the problem
in this matter. This appears to be more a case of bureaucratic
inaction,” he added.
After questioning the unwarranted delay, councillors
demanded an explanation for the same to which an MCD official said: “The
delay was owing to procedural technicalities which take time as several
specifications such as desk size, rate and overall cost has to be
looked into. The entire process may still take six more months or so.”
However, to expedite the process, the Standing Committee
has directed the Municipal Commissioner to take action within three
months by April. Mr. Chandolia said: “We have asked the Commissioner to
grant anticipatory approval and begin the process of acquiring the desks
in a phased manner by April by issuing tenders zone-wise using the
allocated fund of Rs.1 lakh.”
MCD education Committee chairman Mahinder Nagpal also
added: “The process shouldn’t take so long as the children have been
suffering owing to this problem. Phased acquisition of desks should
begin to put an end to the delay.”
