Only 40 out of 129 corporators in the 43 wards of AMC have allocated their budget of Rs15 lakh each before the stipulated time, December 31, 2009.
Ahmedabad corporators always keep boasting of how they promptly solve people's problems and provide better facilities in their respective wards. Hence it is quite surprising to note that only 40 out of 129 corporators in the 43 wards of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation have allocated their budget of Rs15 lakh each before the stipulated time, December 31, 2009.
As a result, the chairman of AMC's standing committee Asit Vora had to write a letter to them, extending the period for budget allocation by one month.
The budget can be allocated for providing various facilities such as laying water and drainage pipeline, paving stones, building roads, any other project work like benches and tree guards.
When it comes to budget allocation, the corporators in the west zone of the city have performed badly. Only two corporators, Dhirubhai Paleja from Vasna and Sharmistha Patel of Gandhigram, out of 27 corporators, have allocated their full budget before December 31, 2009. Paleja made provision of Rs15.75 lakh and Patel allocated Rs15.71 lakh for 2009-10.
On the other hand, Naran Patel, the Congress' corporator from Juna Vadaj and also a member of AMC's standing committee, has allocated only Rs28,000 out of his total privilege of Rs15 lakh for development work as well as providing better facilities to the residents of the city.
As per the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (BPMC) Act, the non-allotted budget cannot be carried forward. Hence, the AMC's standing committee has passed a resolution to extend the period for budget allocation by one month.
When contacted, Naran Patel, said that he had the record of maximum utilisation of the budget for the people in his ward for the last ten years. "I prefer to use general budget for creating better facilities in my ward. Having taken a look at the work that has been completed in the ward, I allocate my budget in case the general budget could not be used. That is why I refrain from allocating the budget till the last date," said Patel. He also claimed that he had the papers ready for work worth Rs15 lakh and will submit it to the concerned authority very soon.
Asit Vora, chairman of AMC's standing committee, said that the committee has extended the period so that the corporators could use the full amount of their budget. "Some times the contractors quote lower rates compared to estimated cost, so we have asked the corporators to allot Rs16.50 lakh," he said.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=spacer}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}