OPPN CRITICISES NORTH MCD FOR UNSPENT AID IN SWACHH PLAN

The opposition on Monday attacked the BJP in the North Delhi Municipal Corporation house for “not being able to spend the funds sanctioned under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan”.

The funds were announced in 2014-15 by the union urban development ministry and given to the corporations for improving sanitation in their areas.

The three civic bodies were given approximately ₹100 crore of the promised ₹500 crore in 2016-17 from the Centre via the state government. Of this total aid, North MCD received ₹46.28 crore.

The agency has spent ₹6.16 crores so far. Of this, ₹95 lakh were spent under the information, education and communication (IEC) head while ₹5.21 crore under the strengthening and mechanisation of sanitation services (for buying machineries and bins).

“The North MCD is going through severe financial crisis but still it could not utilise the money sanctioned two years back. This is surprising. As per my information, the municipal corporation has received another instalment of ₹26 crore from the central government recently,” said Prerna Singh, a Congress councillor.

North MCD commissioner PK Gupta said that the clause associated with the utilisation of funds has made it difficult to spend the money.

“Only 35% of the project cost can be used from the funds sanctioned under Swachh Bharat Abhiyan while rest of the amount has to be provided by the municipal corporation. And we don’t have even that much money,” he said.

Gupta said the civic body is planning to use ₹36 crore from the central funds to construct waste to energy plant at Bhalswa.