Centre starving Chandigarh MC of resources, says Pawan Bansal on transfer of roads

Former Union Minister and ex-MP Pawan Kumar Bansal strongly criticised the decision to transfer V3 roads from the Municipal Corporation to the UT Administration, calling it a retrograde move that undermines the local self-government.

Reacting to the UT Administrator approving the transfer of roads, Bansal said instead of providing the MC its rightful share of funds, as recommended by the Delhi Finance Commission, the Union Government was starving it of resources. “This is forcing the corporation to surrender its legitimate constitutional functions,” he said.

Bansal added that the move negates the spirit of the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which was enacted to empower local self-government institutions.

“The need is to transfer all functions listed in the 12th Schedule of the Constitution to the MC. Weakening the civic body will strip it of vitality and capacity to serve as a vibrant third tier of the government,” he remarked.

Defending the MC, Bansal emphasised that the corporation had already levied all possible taxes and could not burden the people further. “Chandigarh residents contribute much more to the Consolidated Fund of India through Central and state taxes than what the city receives in return. Yet, the MC gets only a pittance from the annual Budget,” he said.

Stressing the need to rectify the ‘imbalance’, Bansal said, “Civic infrastructure and services are in a dismal state. The condition of villages merged with the MC is pitiable. A plan to develop them into modern villages has long been lost in bureaucratic files.”