Chandigarh: Move to double F&CC's approval powers to Rs 1 crore

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, April 9

At a time when the Municipal Corporation House meetings have been witnessing frequent logjams, the civic body has proposed doubling of Finance and Contract Committee’s (F&CC) financial powers.

Will oppose it

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We will protest the move in MC House, which is main authority to decide on it. BJP is trying to get agendas secretly approved at F&CC meetings. — Prem Lata, AAP Councillor & F&CC member

Under the proposal, the current finance limit for development agendas will be raised from Rs 50 lakh to Rs 1 crore. If the proposal is approved at the MC General House meeting on April 11, the committee will no longer have to get House clearance for agendas up to Rs 1 crore in the future. The move is aimed at making the F&CC more powerful financially.

According to the MC’s proposal, the matter regarding enhancing the financial powers of the panel was unanimously approved at the F&CC meeting on March 22. It was deliberated during the meeting that the cost of manpower and material had increased manifold since 2014, when the financial powers of the F&CC were last enhanced. In May 2014, the financial powers of the committee were increased from Rs 35 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.

While the Congress and the ruling BJP have hailed the move, the AAP is opposed to it. AAP councillor Prem Lata, who is also the F&CC member, says: “The issue was taken up jokingly during the last F&CC meeting. It does not mean it has been approved. We will protest the move in the MC House, which is the main authority to decide on it. The BJP is trying to get agendas secretly approved at the panel meeting.”

However, Congress councillor and F&CC member Gurpreet Singh Gabi said: “There was a need to enhance powers of the panel. Why did the two AAP councillors not protest against it the during the last F&CC meeting?”

BJP councillor and panel member Harpreet Kaur Babla said it was much needed as committee’s financial limit had not been revised for several years.

Last hike in 2014

• F&CC’s financial powers were last enhanced from Rs 35L to Rs 50L in May 2014
• The F&CC, at its meeting on March 22, decided to increase its financial powers to Rs 1 cr
• It was felt the cost of manpower and material had increased manifold since last increase