Will take up issue of more grants for Chandigarh MC with Centre, says Banwarilal Purohit

Chandigarh, January 30

Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Banwarilal Purohit today gave an assurance to the Municipal Corporation House of taking up with the Centre the issue of increased share in grants as per the 4th Delhi Finance Commission recommendations.

The assurance came after Mayor Anup Gupta urged Purohit to transfer maintenance of all roads and horticulture departments to the MC besides getting the commission recommendations implemented.

In its report submitted in March 2014, the commission had recommended an increase in the MC share from 17.5% to 30% of the total receipts of the UT Administration. Purohit’s predecessor VP Singh Badnore had written to the Centre in this regard, but in vain.

In his maiden address to the MC House, Purohit said: “I will take up the Finance Commission grant issue with the Home Minister and find out where and why it is stuck. I will also look into the road demand.”

He advised all councillors to work in unison. “Sometimes we say certain things to others in political life, but these should be forgotten after elections. We should work for public good. If you serve people, you will become their darling,” he said.

Purohit said the MP had a larger area and should visit wards in a phased-manner. The MP should hold a “janta darbar” to resolve people’s issues.

Exhorting MC officers to ensure more transparency in working, he said: “There should be transparency in the tender process. No contractor is ours or others’. The contract should be given on the basis of merit.”

Agenda items approved by house

• Allowing land at Sehaj Safai Kendra to process waste of four southern housing societies served notice for violation of the Solid Waste Management rules
• Rough estimate of Rs 1.43 crore for creating sensory park in Sector 22
• n Finance & Contracts Committee formed with Harpreet Kaur Babla and Dalip Sharma (both BJP), Prem Lata and Neha (both AAP), and Gurpreet Singh Gabi (Congress) as members
• Delegate powers to constitute 3 statutory committees by Mayor
• Construction of approach road and developing area near Special DG BSF (Western Command) headquarters in Industrial Area, Phase II