‘Municipal Bodies lose over Rs 400 crore’
STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Despite losses of several hundreds of crores sustained by the Urban Local Bodies in the State due to non holding of elections, the BJP-PDP Government is still apathetic to the grave issue for vested political interests, said Harsh Dev Singh, Chairman JKNPP and former Minister.
He said that the Government of India had blocked the funds under various schemes to various Municipal bodies in the State comprising two Municipal Corporations, six Municipal Councils and 70 Municipal Committees due to failure of State Government to hold elections to the said bodies.
He regretted that non holding of local bodies elections was deliberate and politically motivated which had deprived the general masses of the developmental funds to which they were otherwise entitled and urged upon the Governor to take due cognisance of the issue, he being the constitutional head of the State.
Singh that the 14th Finance Commission had provided a grant of Rs. 125.30 crore in the first instance for 2015-16 which however could not be availed and got lapsed due to government’s failure to hold such elections.
He said earlier also Rs. 169.29 crore of funds under 13th Finance Commission for urban local bodies had lapsed for the same reason. Likewise around Rs. 173.50 crore proposed for 2016-17 under 14th Finance and Rs. 197 crore for AMRUT scheme is also likely to get lapsed as government has no intentions to constitute Municipal bodies before March 2017.
He said that non holding of immediate elections would further deprive the State of ‘Performance Grant’ of Rs. 607 crore for five years starting April 1, 2015 which had been assured by the 14th Finance Commission as additional grant in case the State fulfilled the benchmarks stipulated by it.
Reminding the government of the assurances doled out by it repeatedly for early holding of ULB elections, Harsh regretted the ‘in-explicable’ delay and repeated postponements of the same despite the State Elections Authorities having indicated their preparedness on scores of occasions.
He pointed out that Sec. 14 of Municipal Act categorically provides that elections to constitute a municipality shall be completed before the expiry of its duration of five years. He said “Sec 14 further States that the period of five years shall be reckoned from the date appointed for its first meeting”.
He said that first meetings of all municipal bodies having been held in March-April 2005, the Elections ought to be have been completed prior to March 2010 which has not been done by the govt. thus creating a legal infirmity in exercise of its powers under the said laws.
Singh further made a reference to Municipal Corporation Act which envisages in Sec 5 that Elections to constitute Municipal Corporations shall also be held before the expiry of its term of five years thus categorically providing that election process ought to have been completed in early 2010. He said that deliberate delay caused in the holding of elections is thus violative of Municipal provisions for which the state govt. is accountable and answerable to the people of State. He said that the Municipal Laws have been circumvented and defeated with a design as the coalition partners stood on a weak wicket in view of their total failure on the governance and delivery fronts.
Expressing serious concern over frequent postponements of elections, Singh appealed to the State Governor besides SAC to intervene so as to check further violations of legal provisions for vested political interests and to further ensure that the people were not deprived of their genuine democratic rights and aspirations.
