Criticises civic body for accepting lower grant allocation by the state govt in lieu of octroi,
The Congress on Thursday slammed the ruling party in the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation for putting up with the increasing interference of the state government in its functioning. It also criticised the civic body for accepting lower allocation of grant given by the state government in lieu of octroi.
In its suggestions for the AMC's budget for 2010-11, the party demanded reduction in interest on property tax dues and regularisation of illegal constructions by charging impact fees. The Congress also suggested an addition of Rs27 crore to the total budget of Rs3711 crore.
The party alleged that the office bearers of the AMC were nothing but puppets in the hands of chief minister Narendra Modi.
"The civic body is a separate public body and is run as per the Bombay Providential Municipal Corporation (BPMC) Act. The AMC does not need the state government's approval in every matter. In fact, the state government needs to be consulted only for certain issues," said Surendra Baxi, opposition leader in the AMC.
“The elected wing of the BJP no more runs the AMC. The reins have passed on from mama, kaka to didi,” he said, referring to in-charge minister, Andandiben Patel. The Congress also slammed the state government for not granting enough money in lieu of octroi. The party said that when octroi was abolished in November 2007, the octroi income of AMC was around Rs820 crore. The state government had promised to increase the grant in lieu of octroi by 15% every year.
However, instead of a grant of Rs943 crore, the state government gave only Rs826.71 crore in 2008-09. In 2009-10, the state government gave only Rs685.16 crore till the end of January 2010 instead of Rs1084 crore for the year. "The lower allocation of grant hampers the development of the city," said Himmatsinh Patel, former mayor of AMC.
The Congress also said that the AMC failed to regularise the illegal constructions despite collecting money for the same by way of impact fee. "The BJP is in power in the state and in the AMC yet, they have failed to pass an act for the same," said Baxi. He also asked that the interest rate on property tax dues be lowered from present 18% to 7% taking into consideration the fact that bank loan rates have gone down.
The other demands of the Congress included free ambulance service and upgradation of ambulances, setting up general hospital and fire stations in new west zone and east zone, development of Chandola Lake, waving off entry fee at Kankaria, building more civic centres and getting accreditation for public health laboratory.
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