The Hindu 29.06.2010
Officials’ note triggers heated debate at HDMC Council meet
Staff Correspondent
| The note expressed their inability to mobilise funds of Rs. 11.39 crore |
‘When budget estimates had been approved, sending the note was a blunder’
Issue arising out of ‘excessive revenue’ shown
in the budget: Opposition
Pointing fingers:Councillors at a meeting of the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation in Hubli
HUBLI: The inability of officials of the Hubli Dharwad Municipal Corporation to mobilise revenue to the tune of Rs. 11.39 crore, as expressed in a note, led to heated debate in the council meeting here on Monday, with councillors taking objection to the style of functioning of the officials.
The issue also provided an opportunity for the Opposition to take a dig at the budget presented by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party.
The meeting was a continued session of the meeting held on May 31.
The former floor leader Ashok Jadhav of the BJP raised the issue when proceedings related to the Standing Committees on Finance, Taxation and Social Justice came before the council.
Mr. Jadhav criticised officials who had sent a note to the Standing Committee on Finance in which it was mentioned that the Revenue Department was not in a position to mobilise funds of Rs. 11.39 crore through collection of taxes, including property tax.
When the budget estimates for the year had already been approved by the council and the Government, sending the note to the committee was a blunder, Mr. Jadhav said.
The former Mayor Pandurang Patil, who had presented the budget for the year 2010-11, lambasted the officials for expressing their inability to mobilise resources. “There are more than 50,000 property owners in the twin cities, who are yet to be brought into the tax net, and around 150 layouts that are yet to be handed over to the Corporation. There is provision for collecting close to Rs. 2 crore as development fee. It is only because of inefficiency that you are unable to mobilise the resources,” he said.
Another former mayor Viranna Savadi criticised officials of the Revenue Department for not taking steps to settle disputes relating to property tax. Mr. Savadi urged HDMC Commissioner Trilokchandra to send a proposal to the Government to fill up vacant posts in the corporation, as that was one of the reasons for fall in revenue collection.
Although the former Opposition leader Chinchore and Leader of the Opposition in the council Ganesh Tagaragunti joined in the criticism of officials, they pointed out that the issue was arising out of the “excess revenue” shown in the budget.
Mr. Chinchore pointed out that the note indicated that the ruling BJP had presented a budget which had increased the expected revenue without considering its practicality.
Although officials of the Revenue Department tried to clarify the matter, the councillors were in no mood to listen. Ultimately, the heated discussion concluded with the officials being asked not to commit such mistakes again.
Among other issues taken up during the meeting, the council authorised the Commissioner to create non-hawking and hawking zones for street vendors, towards implementing the National Policy for Urban Street Vendors.
Land dispute
The council also resolved to take further steps on resolving a land dispute between the HDMC, temple trust and an individual as per Court directions.
The council put off taking decisions on issues related to sports facilities, until the formation of the Sports Committee.
