Already running behind the deadline given by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) led the state government to accomplish development works in cities before the upcoming Assembly Polls 2017, the Moga Municipal Corporation (MC) is all set to further delay the urban civic works.
Facing criticism over utilising less than 1% of the total Rs 36 crore funds to finish urban infrastructural works well ahead of state assembly polls, the MC has now in the agenda of Financial and Contract Committee (F&CC) meeting has listed only 62 of total 140 projects, which are to be carried out under the Punjab Infrastructure Development Board (PIDB), to discuss their allotments to contractors. The corporation has not put works under municipal funds in the agenda of the meeting. This means as many as 115 infrastructure projects have been put on back burner.
The MC sources said that holding separate meetings for the works of both grants would lead to a further delay of development works in the city.
The Hindustan Times on Tuesday reported that of total 162 works under PIDB grant of Rs 20 crore, the MC has only been able to accomplish mere nine works while 13 works are underway at the cost of Rs 30 lakhs. The civic body has also failed to utilise its own funds of Rs 16 crore also, with which it was to take up and finish 115 works, mostly pertaining to laying roads, sewerage, installation of street lights and water supply, of which not a single work has been started.
{{/usCountry}}The Hindustan Times on Tuesday reported that of total 162 works under PIDB grant of Rs 20 crore, the MC has only been able to accomplish mere nine works while 13 works are underway at the cost of Rs 30 lakhs. The civic body has also failed to utilise its own funds of Rs 16 crore also, with which it was to take up and finish 115 works, mostly pertaining to laying roads, sewerage, installation of street lights and water supply, of which not a single work has been started.
{{/usCountry}}The civic body has received fewer bids for PIDB related works as, according to officials, under the government’s grant, a contractor has to take responsibility for maintenance and repair for five years, while under MC grant, a contractor was only responsible for few months.
However, mayor Akshit Jain defended the decision of not including the MC’s funds related works. He said, “It is not mandatory to put works of both grants in a single meeting and moreover, there was a long list of works so we have divided into two.”
Earlier in an F&CC meeting on June 10, authorities had mentioned works of both grants, but had to cancel almost all the tenders after MC detected work of a cartel in bidding of works.