Split effect: Huge cut in local area fund for councillors

Now, your councillor has a stronger excuse to deny you better roads and parks with the North Delhi Municipal Corporation cutting down the local area development fund by 80%.

Now, your councillor has a stronger excuse to deny you better roads and parks with the North Delhi Municipal Corporation cutting down the local area development fund by 80%.

The newly-formed civic body, one among the three that have been carved out of the MCD, has reduced the development funds earmarked for the corporators to carry out development in their area from Rs 2.5 crore to Rs 50 lakh. Trifurcation has been cited as the reason for the funds cut.

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The North Delhi civic body held its first meeting on Monday and approved a budget of R2994.3 crore for 2012-2013. The total allocation includes a loan of R729 crore from the Delhi government.

Apart from the Rs 50 lakh, each, every councillor will receive an additional Rs 3.8 lakh for sanitation services, Rs 3.8 lakh for maintenance work, Rs 3.8 lakh for providing streetlights and Rs 4.38 lakh for road improvement. In all, each councillor will receive R65.78 lakh for developing his/her ward.

Yogender Chandolia, Chairman of Standing Committee of the North Delhi civic body, said the corporation may modify the budget in future as per the need.

While 25% of the budget has been allocated for education, 17% has earmarked for health and 15 per cent for development and public works while sanitation got 14% budgetary share.