The Hindu    31.08.2012

Rs. 5 crore withdrawn as Kolar CMC fails to utilise funds

The State government has decided to withdraw several
crores of rupees from a number of urban local bodies in view of the
failure of town municipal councils and city municipal councils to
utilise the funds granted for development activities.

The
Urban Development Ministry has allocated partial amount of the
withdrawn funds to other local bodies. The secretary of the department
has written in this connection to the Commissioner of Directorate of
Municipal Administration.

Among the nine urban local
bodies, Kolar City Municipal Council (CMC) stands at the top in losing
funds. Of the Rs. 10.64 crore unutilised by the municipal council in
Kolar, the government has withdrawn Rs. 5 crore.

Originally
the grants were made to the urban local bodies under the Chief
Minister’s Small and Medium Towns Development Programme.

The
following are the unutilised funds and the amount withdrawn by the
government from urban local bodies in nine districts (amount withdrawn
is in bracket): Mandya Rs. 5.37 crore (Rs. 2 crore), Udupi Rs. 6.51
crore (Rs. 2.5 crore), Gadag Rs. 7.66 crore (Rs. 3 crore), Shimoga Rs.
6.73 crore (Rs. 3 crore), Bidar Rs. 8.64 crore (Rs. 3.5 crore), Yadgir
Rs. 4.70 crore (Rs. 1.11 crore), Chamarajnagar Rs. 6.97 crore (Rs. 2.5
crore), Koppal Rs. 3.93 crore (Rs. 50 lakh) and Kolar Rs. 10.64 crore
(Rs. 5 crore).

Beneficiaries

Of
the Rs. 23.11 crore withdrawn, Rs. 18.61 crore has been re-allocated to
these urban local bodies: Rabakavi-Banahatti Rs. 1.66 crore, Badami Rs.
1.88 crore, Bilagi Rs. 1.60 crore, Guledgud Rs. 66 lakh, Ilkal Rs. 1.66
crore, Jamkhandi Rs. 1.66 crore, Kerur Rs. 66 lakh, Mahalingapur Rs.
1.06 crore, Bantwal Rs. 1.66 crore, Kadur Rs. 1.66 crore, Birur Rs. 66
lakh, Tarikere Rs. 1.66 crore and Chikmagalur Rs. 2 crore.

Lacking coordination

Lack
of coordination between MP and Minister of State for Railways K.H.
Muniyappa and district in-charge Minister Varthur Prakash, who are vying
with each other to control the municipal council, is said to be the
main reason for the failure of the local government to utilise the funds
for the development of the city which suffers without infrastructure.

The
political rivalry between Mr. Muniyappa and Mr. Prakash, coupled with
the lack of vision among councillors who were allegedly primarily
interested in amassing wealth out of public exchequer, has left the city
in the lurch.

Though the authorities did not mention
the role of “politics” for the prevailing situation, they admitted that
was lack of leadership vis-à-vis development of the area.

“Delay
in carrying out works as well as unscientific approach in plans and
estimations are some of the reasons why the funds were not utilised in
the stipulated time,” municipal commissioner M. Mahendrakumar told
The Hindu
on Thursday. “Quality of work carried out also contributed to the factor,” he added.