Cong slams ‘directionless’ North civic body budget

TERMING THE North Delhi Municipal Corporation budget “directionless and detached from reality”, the Congress Thursday attacked the Bjp-led civic body for not taking any steps to improve the financial condition of the corporation, which has been slipping into deeper fiscal deficit since 2013.

“You have done nothing to improve the financial condition of the corporation in the last three years except blame the state government for not providing funds. As a result, the revenue deficit that was Rs 540 crore during 2013-14 has now increased to Rs 3,610 crore in 2017-18 (as projected in the revised budget estimates),” Leader of the Opposition, Mukesh Goel, said.

Goel began his budget speech by stating that the chairman of the Standing Committee, Pravesh Wahi, should be held in contempt of the House since “he has made amendments to proposals passed by the Standing Committee before presenting them to the House”. “Budget proposals presented by the committee can only be amended by the House and the chairman sought no one’s approval,” he said.

He took on the BJP for its “unrealistic revenue targets set in the budget every year without giving much attention to the ways to realise them”. Goel also said that officials responsible for the loss of revenue to the corporation on account of the slow progress of several infrastructure projects need to be held accountable.

“The Unique Property Identity Code (UPIC) scheme has been moving at snail’s pace and so far, only 37 wards have been surveyed,” Goel said.

As the North Corporation House nears the completion of its term, Goel said, “Various municipal properties could have been redeveloped and helped the corporation overcome its financial crisis.”