Initiating the Budget debate on Monday, leader of the Opposition in the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Farhad Suri alleged that funds with several departments had remained unused. He pointed out the various promises the BJP had made in its Budget speech last year but had allegedly failed to fulfil.
“The BJP ruled SDMC has constantly been at logger heads with the Delhi Government over its global share on the basis of 3rd financial Commission and keep demanding implementation of the 4th Finance Commission. The SDMC has miserably failed to utilise even the funds available with it and this has resulted in depriving citizens of much needed civic amenities, he added.
He further said that SDMC has not cleared loan of `500 crores to the Government despite of claiming to be rich among Corporations. If we are financially strong, why we have not cleared the loans till dateIJ Why are we paying interest on outstanding loan unnecessarilyIJ Why are you paying 14 per cent on this loanIJ He asked.
Expressing anguish over uncompleted projects, Suri said “No one knows the fate of the lajpat Nagar hospital till date. Even SDMC is in confusion that whether a hospital or a multi level parking will be constructed at this place.
Picking up holes in the Budget proposals for current fiscal year, Suri pointed out several important fields in which funds are allotted but not utilised. He said that budget allotted in important sectors are not fully utilised.
“The budget for medicines and equipment is laid unutilised. A number of promises are done every year but never fulfilled such as Ghalib Pur Ayurvedic Aushdhalaya, Tilak Nagar Ayurvedic Aushdhalaya, and Construction of new building for medical stores are still not completed.
“A very large percentage of municipal roads are in adverse condition. These roads have neither been repaired nor re-laid because of NGT directions. The Corporation has not been able to find a viable solution for mastic roads. Roads quality needs to be improved by adopting latest technology and enforcing strict quality control,” he added.