The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Corporators upset over delay in sanction of funds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 20, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Corporators upset over delay in sanction of funds

Afshan Yasmeen

Deputy Mayor complains to Minister

BANGALORE: All is not well in the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).

Corporators from all parties, including the Deputy Mayor, N. Shantakumari, are reportedly upset over the delay in sanction of funds from the Mayor, R. Narayanaswamy's discretionary quota of Rs. 15 crores.

"Sanctions under the Mayor's quota are usually made by this time of the year. But this time, the Mayor has not even started the process and this is definitely going to affect works in our wards," a senior corporator from the ruling Congress said.

With the Mayor's quota increasing year after year (it has gone up from last year's Rs. 11 crores to Rs. 15 crores this year), there have always been differences between the first citizen and the corporators over the sanction of funds. It is a common feeling among coporators that only those who are close to the Mayor, especially from the ruling party, can get a lion's share.

Highly-placed sources in the BMP told The Hindu that the Deputy Mayor wrote to the Mayor seeking a sanction of Rs. 2 crores for the development of her ward — Moodalpalya. But when the Mayor informed her that funds for her ward will be equal to that sanctioned to other wards, Ms. Shantakumari is reportedly upset and has even threatened to resign.

The sources said that she also complained to the Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Ramalinga Reddy, who is also the president of the Bangalore City District Congress Committee.

"The Deputy Mayor is considered to be a dummy candidate in the BMP and does not enjoy any facilities like the Mayor. The only solace is that the ward represented by the candidate has always got extra funds for development. This tradition was followed last year too when the then Deputy Mayor, A.H. Basavaraju's ward, Ganesh Mandir, got Rs. 1.5 crores. Why should the rules change this time?" the sources asked.

Several corporators, who are already upset with the Mayor for being "biased" while allotting the special development grants in the budget for 2005-2006, alleged that the first citizen was adopting a "dictatorial attitude" in allotment of funds for ward development.

When contacted, the Mayor told The Hindu on Tuesday that he was personally visiting all the wards to find out what needs to be developed there. "I have not yet started sanctioning funds for the wards. I will visit as many wards as possible and then start the process of sanctioning funds," he said.

Pointing out that "he will not be discreet in allotting his quota," the Mayor said funds will be sanctioned based on the requirement of the ward.

"And I will announce the grants in the presence of presspersons," he said.

Mr. Narayanaswamy, who denied there are any differences between him and the Deputy Mayor, said her ward too will be judged on the same criteria. "I will allot funds to all wards, including hers," he added.

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