The Hindu : Front Page : Mayor asks Gulzar not to spend funds

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Sunday, Nov 06, 2005

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Mayor asks Gulzar not to spend funds

Staff Reporter

Mayor wants Commissioner to wait till formation of Standing Committee

VIJAYAWADA: Seeking to restrain Municipal Commissioner Natarajan Gulzar from spending corporation's funds to his liking, Mayor Tadi Sakuntala has asked him not to decide on any major expenditure until the formation of the Standing Committee.

Sources said that Ms. Sakuntala addressed a letter to this effect to Mr. Gulzar about three days ago.

This was the first official letter she had addressed to the Commissioner, and more were said to be in the offing as she decided to put her views on major issues on record rather than merely communicating them orally.

Process begins

The Mayor pointed out in the letter that the process of formation of the Standing Committee - the executive arm of the corporation that decides expenditure limits - had already begun with the recent general body meeting resolving to form five ward committees for all the 59 divisions. Chairpersons of these committees, once elected, make up the Standing Committee, with the Mayor heading it in her capacity as ex-officio chairperson.

Ms. Sakuntala said that it would just be a matter of days before the committee was formed, and hence it would be better if no decision was taken on major expenditure.

Though the Commissioner has some freedom to spend the funds, it is subject to allocation made by the Standing Committee. If the Commissioner spends funds without the committee's consent, it would have to be ratified by the latter. In case of the committee's refusal to ratify the expenditure already made, the Commissioner would have to obtain approval from the State Government.

CPI leader protests

Close on the heels of this letter, CPI floor leader P. Gowtham Reddy addressed another letter to the Commissioner on Saturday, protesting against what he called incorrect answers given to his question on the grants due to the corporation from the Government at the recent general body meeting.

In respect of entertainment tax, the CPI leader said that the figures would generally be uniform for all years, except for a variation of 5-10 per cent. But the answer furnished showed that the amount fell by 50 per cent in 2004-05 over the corresponding figures for 2003-04. "This is the amount due from the State Government," he contended.

Similarly, Mr. Reddy said that the receipts under profession tax in 2002-03 were higher by about 250 per cent over 2000-01. But the same in 2004-05 decreased by 30 per cent over 2002-03. "These abnormal variations are inexplicable," he said.

The CPI leader held that the information furnished in respect of per capita grant, grant in lieu of property tax on State Government's assets, motor vehicle tax compensation, road development grant, Krishna Pushkaram grant, grants under First and Second State Finance Commissions' recommendations as well as Central Finance Commissions' grants was incorrect.

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