Responding to a query pertaining to Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s funds, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday called the Mayors of a municipal corporation a “political animal”.
Reacting to Kejriwal’s comments, an official in North MCD said, “The Mayor’s position is an ornamental one. His functions are similar to that of the Speaker of the lok Sabha. The Mayor takes the final call in the House. The holder of this position holds high dignity and is one who represents the House in all its manifestations. like lok Sabha Speaker he has the power to adjourn the House.”
North Mayor Ravindar Gupta said, “CM Arvind Kejriwal has lost his mind. Constitutionally, the Mayor is the First Citizen of the Capital. How can be called a political animalIJ If an elected Chief Minister thinks the First Citizen of the State is a political animal, then it goes to show his mentality and what he thinks of the citizens of Delhi. Kejriwal has stooped down so low.”
Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay strongly condemned Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for using derogatory term “political animal” while talking about Mayors of Delhi.
He said, “Kejriwal it seems has lost all political etiquette, the CM should know that Mayors are the First Citizen of Delhi and use of derogatory words against them is the insult of the people. CM Kejriwal’s claim that Municipal Commissioners have given in writing that Delhi Government has totally cleared funds towards Municipal Corporations as per 3rd Delhi Finance Commission recommendation is a total lie.”
According to the Delhi Government’s latest figures, it has released the position of funds as against revised estimates and said the entire amount of Rs 892.92 crores earmarked under proposed revised estimate for the North Delhi Municipal Corporation under Non-Plan has been released by the Government.
In case of East Delhi Municipal Corporation, the entire amount of Rs465.53 crores has been released by the Government. South Delhi Municipal Corporation has been given Rs668 crores i.e. 80 per cent, out of Rs830.41 crores. The remaining amount will be released by January 19, 2016, following which funds under Non-Plan earmarked under proposed revised estimate will be released to all three municipal corporations.
In case of Education Sector under Plan, about 75 per cent of budgeted amount has been released to North Delhi Municipal Corporation and East Delhi Municipal Corporation and in case of South Delhi Municipal Corporation; about 53 per cent of the budgeted amount has been released up to December 2015.
last week, a meeting was conducted by Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, along with all three Commissioners and high functionaries of the Delhi Government over the status of funds. In the meeting, the Delhi Government said the Municipal Reform Fund can only be released in accordance with law and the corporations have failed to meet the requirement of surplus Budget, which is essential for seeking this fund, but the corporations are showing a deficit Budget.