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MoU runs into rough weather
By Our Staff Reporter
NEW DELHI, JULY 8.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by the Delhi
Government with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi has run into
rough weather. The Corporation has expressed its inability to
enter into such a agreement for various political and
administrative reasons.
The Delhi Finance Minister, Mr. Mahinder Singh Saathi, had
announced during the Budget session about signing of a MoU on the
lines of those signed with the Delhi Vidyut Board, Delhi Jal
Board and Delhi Transportation Corporation. But with almost three
months of the current financial year gone, there is no sign of
the MoU. The Delhi Government gives nearly Rs. 850 crores to the
MCD annually for developmental works. The money is released on
quarterly installment basis and often the State Government and
the MCD have clashed on the release of money.
Mr. Saathi has, time and again, accused the MCD of not giving a
proper account and had, through the MoU, proposed to put in place
the accountability factor which would keep a close watch on the
spendings. But, according to officials in the Finance and
Planning Departments, the MCD Commissioner, Mr. S.P. Aggarwal,
has expressed his inability to sign the MoU.
Mr. Aggarwal is understood to have pointed out that the MoU would
have to be approved by the House and the Standing Committee of
the MCD, which is dominated by the BJP, which is unlikely keeping
in mind the political stakes. It was felt that any such step
would lead to politicisation of the issue just a few months
before civic polls. To avoid such a situation, the best course
was to handle the issue administratively as this would not
require any political sanction, and it could be done at the
Commissioner's level.
The idea is understood to have found favour with the State
Government which is keen to put in place a mechanism for
monitoring of the funds. It is now being proposed that the MCD
and State Government reach at some understanding where release of
funds could be linked to spending of funds and providing their
account. As the funds are released on a quarterly basis, it is
proposed that the MCD could provide detailed account highlighting
the sectors where money has been spent.
Going a step forward, the Finance Minister is keen to have a
meeting with political leaders to urge them to work out some
solution about the developmental funds. It is expected that
Mr.Saathi would soon be convening a meeting with participation by
the Mayor, Mr. Shanti Desai, the Leader of the House, Mr. Mahesh
Chander Sharma, the Standing Committee Chairman, Mr. Prithvi Raj
Sawhney and the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Ram Babu Sharma.
Mr. Saathi is expected to plead with them that some kind of
formula be worked out under which elected representatives,
cutting across party lines, keep out the issue of development
from politics and it be purely dealt on merit. But with MCD polls
only months away, any such move is unlikely to bear fruit.
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