A first: F&CC passes projects worth Rs 4.55 cr at digital meet

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 24

For the first time, the Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) meeting of the Municipal Corporation was held through video conferencing. During the meeting chaired by Mayor Jagdish Raja, committee members discussed and passed various development projects worth around Rs4.55 crore.

The committee members include Senior Deputy Mayor Surinder Kaur, Deputy Mayor Harsimranjit Singh Bunty and councillors Gian Chand and Gurwinderpal Singh Bunty Nilkanth. As per information, higher officials of the Municipal Corporation are planning to hold even the General House meeting through video conferencing.

Mayor Raja, while talking to The Tribune, said because of Covid-19, the civic body was planning to conduct important meetings such as General House meeting, through video conferencing. “I was initially reluctant to hold a digital meeting as it was the first such meet he was to chair, but it went smoothly.

Notably, in a General House meeting, besides all branch officials, the MC Commissioner and Mayor, councillors of all 80 wards take part, raise issues concerning the city and ask questions to branch officials. Almost at every meeting, a chaos ensues when questions result in arguments. Keeping this in view, online meeting appears to be the only way ahead for the MC in times of Covid-19.

The Mayor said trials would be conducted by first holding meetings of the ad hoc committees online. The ad hoc committees include the water supply and sewerage disposal committee, building and roads committee, house tax assessment committee, health and sanitation committee, tehbazari ad hoc committee, etc. These committees play a major role in executing various works of the MC.