North Delhi Mayor Avtar Singh on Friday met Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Anil Baijal and demanded to consider a bailout package worth Rs 3,000 crores for the north civic body in order to make the corporation functioning.
Mayor appraised the L-G about the financial condition of the Corporation due to non-implementation of the recommendation of 4th Delhi Finance Commission (DFC) by the Delhi Government which has resulted in loss of to Rs 968.97 Crores to North Corporation during the period 2012-13 to 2015-16.
Accusing Delhi Government for prevailing financial crunch, he said that the corporation’s functioning has been impacted due to shortage of funds. The civic agency has been deprived of its share and in such circumstances bailout package should be given to us, he said.
“The corporation is providing services to about 75 lakhs of the population but in such a situation we find it difficult to disburse the salary as well as undertaking new development works, he said.
Talking about the huge expenditure in providing health services, he said that the corporation has been facing financial problem since its inception due to disproportionate distribution of resources as the maximum revenue earning areas remained with South Delhi Municipal Corporation.
He further said that the maximum expenditure areas like six major hospitals, medical college, two ayurvedic hospitals, 100 dispensaries and about 700 schools catering to about three lakhs students remained with the north Corporation apart from various inherited liabilities which was supposed to have been considered as a grant by the Government of Delhi which they have not done.
Singh said that the civic body had taken up the financial crisis in the right perspective and my predecessors had taken up many revenue earning schemes and some of them are in final stages and are likely to be rolled out soon.
However, it will take some more time to have a healthy financial status and the Corporation needs financial support to tie over the crisis now, he added.
Mayor further said that many of 5th DFC recommendations which could have saved North MCD from financial crunch were not approved.
Singh also highlighted that the Corporation has been lifting malba dumped on the roads maintained by the PWD. During inspection, it was observed that these roads were full of construction and demolition waste.
He also said that it is also requested to L-G to take up this issue with PWD and direct them to clear the malba lying on the roads and also to reimburse the expenses incurred by North Corporation in clearing the malba so far.