The Hindu : New Delhi News : Move to cut councillors’ fund flayed

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Tuesday, Jun 09, 2009
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New Delhi

Move to cut councillors’ fund flayed

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Government’s move to curtail the councillors’ fund from Rs.2 crore each to Rs.50 lakh has been criticised by former chairman of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Standing Committee Vijender Gupta.

“The move is unlawful and unconstitutional,” said Mr. Gupta in a statement on Monday.

“The councillors’ fund is part of the MCD non-Plan expenditure generated from its own sources. The non-Plan budget procedure is an independent one and the Delhi Government has no right to interfere with it,” he added.

Mr. Gupta said the allocation of Rs.2 crore per ward was necessary for the 272 councillors to undertake development works in their constituencies, and mostly the entire amount in the fund was used in the process. “I cannot understand why the Delhi Government made such a move,” he said, adding that the proposed cut in allocation of funds would prove detrimental to the pace and the number of developmental works the MCD wanted to undertake.

“This is a political move by the Delhi Chief Minister to insinuate to the masses that the MCD is not doing enough for their welfare,” he alleged.

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