Even as the Delhi Government claimed to have doled out funds, the three municipal corporations have cried foul over non- dispensation of funds, stoking the endless blame game. Not only this, there is a dichotomy between the statistics presented by the Delhi Government and the MCDs regarding the release of funds.
On June 9 last, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had called a rally at Ramlila Maidan and announced a “tough decision”, i.e. to release Rs293 crore and Rs575 crore for the East and North Delhi Municipal Corporations respectively and blamed the BJP-governed civic bodies’ misappropriation of funds for their sordid state of affairs. MCD officials, however, retorted by calling it a farce and said the Delhi Government didn’t release the due amount.
Amid the ongoing strike by the sanitation employees, the mayors claimed that under DMC Act, the Delhi Government is trying to defame the municipal agencies by not releasing money, in a bid to show that the MCDs are not willing to work. They said there are provisions of releasing shares on time but the Government’s move to not release money has left MCD empty pocket.
“The Kejriwal Government should focus less on politics and more on work. By not dispensing money they are trying to put us in bad light. The municipal works in the capital can only be carried out if funds are released. Fourth Finance Commission should have been implemented by now but that too has not happened due to the Kejriwal Government,” said NMC Mayor Ravindar Gupta.
Notably, the Capital has been witnessing strike of sanitation workers for last nine days over non-payment of salaries and other allowances. Delhi Development Authority refuted claims of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia that DDA owes approximately Rs1,500 crore to the Municipal Corporations. Earlier, the CM wrote to the l-G, that the authority owes more than Rs1,600 crore on this account.
The DDA, in response through a demi-official letter to the Chief Secretary, informed that DDA lands are Union lands in terms of Article 239AA read with Entry No 18 of the State list of the Constitution of India and is not obliged to pay property tax in respect of such lands. DDA also clarified that in respect of properties (permanent office buildings, staff quarters and rented properties) where property tax is due to the corporations, DDA has been paying such tax regularly.
Harsh Malhotra, Mayor of EDMC, said as per DMC Act 484 (1) sub section (iv), the Government shall appoint a director of local bodies to assist the Government and discharge functions including: to resolve the functional and administrative anomalies or difficulties arising, if any, after constitution of the three corporations in consultation with the Commissioner(s) thereof. Ravinder Gupta, Mayor of North Corporation, said that instead of creating confusion in the mind of public by spending 536 Crores on advertisements and misleading the people, Delhi government should rather focus on governance.