Delhi govt financially starving MCDs: Vijender Gupta

The leader of opposition in Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta criticised the Delhi government for "financially starving"the municipal corporations by rejecting the recommendations of the Fifth Delhi Finance Commission (DFC) report. The report was approved by the legislative assembly on Thursday.

Addressing the media on Friday, Gupta said, "The recommendations which could have given a new lease of life to fund-starved MCD have been converted into an instrument of paralysing and financially starving them. The recommendations which could have helped local bodies, particularly, East and North Delhi Municipal Corporations become financially viable have been deliberately rejected by the Delhi government." "Crippling MCDs by rejecting 29 vital recommendations of the DFC is an act of gross injustice and ill-will on part of the CM against millions of Delhiites. More than one lakh employees have been deprived of the opportunity of regular payment of their salaries and pensioners of their regular pension," he further said.

The commission recommended that Delhi government wrote off outstanding loans of three MCDs at the time of their division besides recommending outstanding debt liability of all the three Corporations should be converted into debt package. "But Delhi government showed no scruples in straight away rejecting it. It has resulted in carrying a liability of Rs 2,200 crore like albatross for the remaining period. It has unfortunately been rejected by the Kejriwal government," Gupta said.

"The provision for resettlement colonies has been closed. It will lead to a loss of Rs 44.06 crore. It will also affect the development works in resettlement colonies. DFC proposed a special grant of Rs. 280 crore for hospitals, which has been denied. On the other hand, the Kejriwal government has recommended that the MCD hospitals should be taken over by the Delhi government," Gupta claimed.