Old projects hang fire, new budget exercise begins.

Even as preparations are on for presenting the budget for the year 2013-14 — it is normally presented in February-end — the Municipal Corporation has not been able to execute several projects that were part of the previous budget. In fact, budgetary provisions are made for some of these projects every year without them seeing the light of day.

A project for modernisation of dhobi ghats is part of the budget for which Rs 1.5 crore were earmarked. However, apart from one dhobi ghat in Sector 15 being modernised around four years back, no further progress has been made. Budgetary allocation is made every year for these. As per the proposal, the dhobi ghats are proposed to be converted into fully automated laundry marts.

An amount of Rs 75 lakh was earmarked for construction of Sehaj Safai Kendras where garbage is stored and then collected. While several SSKs are present in different sectors, no proposals for any new ones has been cleared over a period of time. The civic body had also made a provision of Rs 30 lakh for hiring a consultant for preparing a layout of activities for collection of garbage and suggesting measures for strengthening sanitation and ensuring cleanliness.

The proposal for having a mechanised bird slaughter house in the city has been doing the rounds for several years. Budgetary provisions to the tune of Rs 1.5 crore were made for it in the budget for the year 212-13 which is unutilised as the project is yet to materialise.

Similar is the case with the dog pound, a project that has not been finding favour with all sections. Yet it is part of subsequent budgets over the past several years. There is also no sign of a carcass incineration centre for which Rs 1.60 crore were earmarked.

Councillor Arun Sood says, "The budget document is a cut-and-paste job. Minor changes are made under different heads and a budget almost similar to the year before that is prepared. Last year, the mayor's budget speech was also a copy of the one that the mayor before her had delivered. It is due to the lack of systematic planning that the funds remain unutilised and projects do not materialise."

However, Mayor Subhash Chawla says, "The budget of the Municipal Corporation is not like the usual budgets. Here money is allocated on the presumption that a project might be required. In case it has to be executed, money is then sought from the administration. Suggestions have been sought from councillors this time and these would be made a part of the budget."

Sood adds that while this year, councillors had been asked to give suggestions pertaining to the budget, the exercise was a mere eyewash as there was no outline given.

The budget for the fire wing of the civic body has provisions for purchase of equipment like thermal imaging camera and laser binocular which have not been purchased. Budgetary provisions of Rs 23 crore were made for the primary health department and Rs 22 crore for the primary education department. Around 90 per cent of these funds are unutilised.

Councillor Davesh Moudgil feels there is a need for changing the heads under which budget is allocated. "The budget should be allocated as per an area and its requirements," he says.

Source : indianexpress.com