Ludhiana Municipal Corporation House meeting: Most resolutions passed without discussion

Harshraj Singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 28

With Opposition councillors expressing happiness over ongoing development works in the city, the majority of resolutions of the agenda were approved without any discussion in the MC’s House meeting held at Guru Nanak Dev Bhawan.

The Municipal Corporation House approved a resolution regarding a revised budget of around Rs 992 crore for 2021-22. In March, the civic body had given nod to the estimated annual budget of Rs 1064.85 crore for 2021-22 but the government had sanctioned only Rs 815.65 crore.

Now, the MC is going to take a loan of Rs 100 crore and it has proposed to sell a number of properties, even those given on rent. Besides, it is expecting to generate Rs 19.10 crore as cow cess during this financial year.

The MC will generate the advertisement tax of only Rs 4 crore as per the revised budget. In March, the MC, in the estimated budget, had aimed to generate Rs 15 crore under the head of advertisement tax during 2021-22. It is not clear how the income under the advertisement head has been reduced, raising may eyebrows. When contacted, Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu said the government had already reduced the advertisement-related income in the sanctioned budget amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the estimated budget for 2019-20, the MC was expecting to generate Rs 25 crore from advertisements but the income target was reduced amid the Covid-19 pandemic. When Navjot Singh Sidhu was the Local Bodies Minister, he had introduced a new policy for outdoor advertisements to increase income from advertisements.

Properties to be sold to generate Rs50 crore

A resolution for the implementation of The Punjab Management and Transfer of Municipal Properties Act, 2020 and the rules under the Act were approved to sell or rent/lease out the MC’s properties. The House members approved a resolution regarding the generation of Rs 50 crore by ‘selling’ various properties. Such properties include land of some prominent educational institutes and around 1,000 shops that were given on rent/lease.

As per the resolution regarding generation of Rs 50 crore, the MC has a plan to give ownership rights to the lessee/tenants/occupiers by charging the required amount from them.

Meanwhile, the House members also passed another resolution regarding the e-auction of some properties.

Objections on appointments on compassionate grounds

A few councillors raised objections over the names of two persons in the list of deceased employees’ kin who are to be issued appointment letters on compassionate grounds under a scheme. A councillor said he had never seen an employee (who has died) working in his ward. Councillor from Ward 52 Gurdeep Singh Neetu also raised a similar objection. Meanwhile, another Congress councillor raised a question seeking transparency to avoid chances of any irregularity. Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu, however, said a committee has finalised the names.

Five roads to be named after ‘Panj Pyare’

The MC House has passed a proposal to name five roads in different zones on the names of ‘Panj Pyare’. Officials have prepared a report of nine roads and of them, five roads are to be selected. During the meeting, the members also gave nod to regularise the services of employees, including JEs and SDOs working on an outsourced basis.

Opposition praises Mayor for development in city

The Opposition councillors of Shiromani Akali Dal, Lok Insaaf Party and BJP praised Mayor Balkar Singh Sandhu and MC Commissioner Pardeep Kumar Sabharwal for carrying out development works in the city.

SAD councillor Harbhajan Singh Dang and BJP councillor Chaudhary Yashpal thanked the mayor for development works. Besides, LIP councillor Swarandeep Singh Chahal said they will want to see Balkar Singh Sandhu as city Mayor for the next five years too.

Sidelights

• The House members didn’t give nod to take over GLADA’s various colonies and roads in the city.
• Traffic Lights Chowk near the Vardhaman factory will be named ‘Baba Jaswant Singh Ji Chowk’.
• An intersection near the Model Town Cremation ground will be named as ‘Pyramid Chowk’ in Ward 46.
• ‘Gol Park’ along Rakh Bagh is to be named in memory of the city’s first Mayor late Chaudhary Sat Parkash.
• The MC to set up its PRO branch for improving its image.
• Councillors seek a hike in their salary/allowances.

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