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MCD's digital woes spell no development
This was money meant to repair roads and construct new ones, to install streetlights, clean storm water drains and to carry out other development works in the city.
This was money meant to repair roads and construct new ones, to install streetlights, clean storm water drains and to carry out other development works in the city.
However, the MCD's lackadaisical attitude might lead to the lapse of almost the entire councillor funds-a whopping Rs 422 crore.
Though the councillors did make bookings for various projects, a snag in the MCD's computer server has led to none of the works being awarded till now. And March 31 is the last date for awarding projects under councillor funds.
The issue was raised by the ward committee of the MCD too. It was pointed out that not a single councillor had been able to get any work awarded in south, west and Najafgarh zones.
"The server has been down for the past 10 days and we have been trying to fix the problem. As it is the end of the financial year, all councillors are trying to get their works awarded. Due to this, the system has become overloaded and has stopped working completely. If the problem does not get sorted out, the councillor funds will get lapsed," said a senior MCD official.
All 272 councillors have been earmarked a sum of Rs 1.55 crore for various development works in their wards. The civic agency had made it mandatory that while works worth Rs 50 lakh could be awarded manually, rest of the funds had to be processed online to ensure transparency.
"We have received a number of complaints from the councillors and we will try to fix the problem by Tuesday. We will not let the funds lapse," said Yogender Chandolia, chairman of the standing committee of the MCD.
Sources say that even manually, only 40% of the councillors have been able to get their work processed.
"Booking of orders worth Rs 1.55 crore in three days' time seems next to impossible. Usually, the entire process takes close to two to three months," an official said.
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