Bansal urges MP Kher to ask Centre for more funds for Chandigarh

Former Union minister and veteran Congressman says Chandigarh deserves “better treatment and not this abject neglect”

Former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal has asked Chandigarh MP Kirron Kher to urge the Union government, UT administrator and the Bharatiya Janata Party leadership to ensure that Chandigarh residents do not suffer due to the “Centre’s apathy in allocation of resources to the city,” including the municipal corporation.

Former Union minister Pawan Kumar Bansal (pictured here) has criticised the Centre’s “apathy in allocation of resources to the city.” (HT Photo)

Bansal recalled that the Fourth Delhi Finance Commission had recommended an allocation of 30% of the receipts of UT to the MC. And though the civic body had sought Rs1,073 crore for the current year, it was just allocated ₹425 crore. “While it was already reeling under severe financial crisis, a further cut of 20% was slapped, bringing the allocation down to ₹340 crore. This amount is lower than the grant-in-aid to the corporation seven years back in the year 2013-14, when it stood at ₹359 crore. The direct impact of this is on condition of roads and all other civic services in the city,” Bansal said.

Criticising what he termed as the unfair treatment of the UT administration and MC by the Centre, Bansal said, “Instead of a minimum annual enhancement of 10%, plan head allocation of ₹813 crore to Chandigarh in the last UPA interim budget in 2014-15 has been brought down to ₹494.14 crore (Capital) in the budget for the year 2020-21, that is, a dismal 60% of what it should have been in 2014-15. Chandigarh deserves better treatment and not this abject neglect”, he said.