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Chandigarh MC calls off study tour amid deepening fiscal crisis
Armed with ₹50-lakh budget, Chandigarh councillors were planning to visit Kochi and Lakshadweep to study their waste management initiatives
Amid the crippling financial crisis plaguing the Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC), city councillors will not be undertaking their annual study tour, planned for Kochi and Lakshadweep to study their waste management initiatives.
Despite the fiscal shortfall that has brought developmental projects to a complete standstill, MC allots ₹50 lakh each year for councillors’ study tours, raising concerns about its priorities.
In September, city mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor, with support from councillors across party lines, had sought permission from the UT administration for a five-day tour to Kochi and Lakshadweep. The tour aimed to allow councillors to examine innovative waste management practices firsthand. The locations, total number of councillors attending the tour and the budget was not finalised at that time.
UT had questioned rationale behind tour
The UT administration had responded with several queries, questioning the rationale for the tour expenditure amid the current financial crisis.
“The UT administration had sought clarifications on how MC would manage the study tour expenses despite its pressing financial issues. But the civic body did not write back or seek permission again, and even the mayor did not instruct officers to follow up on the matter. Hence, the plan for the study tour has been dropped,” said MC officials.
The study tour was proposed at a time when MC has been unable to issue any new tenders for development projects since May, effectively halting the city’s growth.
The financial crisis has impacted all civic works, including those previously approved by the finance and contract committee (F&CC) and the MC General House, leaving key projects in limbo.
“We were planning to go on a study tour, but after we got to know about the MC’s acute financial status, we dropped the plan. Currently, our focus remains on generating more revenue and cutting our expenses, so that the developmental works can be resumed, and residents can get the best services and facilities,” said mayor Dhalor.
AAP makes unnecessary expenses: BJP
Leader of Opposition Kanwarjeet Singh Rana said, “Study tours are meant for MC’s growth and councillors’ learning. The AAP continues to make unnecessary expenses, like spending crores on new projects even when there is no need. Mayor should have followed up the study tour proposal as the budget is always allocated, which can’t be utilised for other purposes.”
“BJP councillors had initially shown interest in the tour, but when the mayor wrote to the UT, the BJP started politics and gave statements that they will boycott the tour. BJP councillors show double standards. We are doing what is best for the MC at present,” Congress councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi retorted.
After opposition last year, AAP had backed tour this time
Interestingly, the AAP-led mayor and councillors had voiced support for the study tour after boycotting a similar tour to Goa last year.
The BJP and Congress councillors, led by then mayor Anup Gupta, had visited Goa last year to look into the working of the state’s garbage processing plant. For the first time ever, MC had also taken a few residents from Dadumajra to Goa.
The AAP councillors, along with their party leaders, had then held a press conference and criticised the study tour, accusing the BJP and the Congress of making money from the Dadumajra garbage dump.
In 2022, during mayor Sarbjit Kaur’s tenure, the councillors had initially planned a tour to Goa and Mumbai. However, then Punjab governor and UT administrator Banwarilal Purohit had rejected the proposal, redirecting the tour to Indore and Nagpur, which they eventually visited. Councillors from all parties had attended the tour.
