Centre fund wasted in Faridabad

[dheerajjain]

As Ajay and Vineet mentioned that we should think of entire Faridabad and highlight issues, here is one such issue.

Source: Times of India, Feb 9, 2011

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... 456001.cms

FARIDABAD/NEW DELHI: This is one instance that explains how government agencies waste the funds they get from Centre for renewal of urban infrastructure.

A large number of sewer line jetting machines, animal catcher vans, mobile bins and JCBs that were procured for Faridabad Municipal Corporation (MCF) for Rs 5 crore in 2008 are gathering dust. The items were bought for solid waste management scheme under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) scheme.

MCF had disclosed the list of items in an RTI reply to Kishan Lal Gera, a former advisor to the municipal body. "All these items were bought to be used in the city. But these have been lying idle for years. The municipal body got the equipment only to exhaust the grant it got from the Centre and state governments," alleged Gera.

According to the RTI reply, the items were supplied by National Buildings Construction Company (NBCC). These were meant to be used in the entire municipal zone as and when required. The list of items includes three 3,000lt sewer line jetting machines, 60 metal containers, 20 mobile bins of 1,100lt capacity each, 20 chassis with cab and nine JCBs. The RTI reply mentioned that 50% of the fund for this purchase came from Centre under the JNNURM scheme while 20% was given by the state government and the rest 30% came from urban local board. These items were delivered to the municipal body between August and October in 2008.

Gera said he had lodged a complaint with the former municipal commissioners, but never got a reply on why those items were lying unused. "I had finally written to the Prime Minister in November highlighting how this has meant a loss to the public exchequer," Gera said.

Locals said that despite huge investment of JNNURM fund, the city's civic issues largely remain unsolved. "There are frequent instances of sewage water spilling over to the main roads in Gandhi Colony, Indira Colony, Sanjay Colony and Sector-21A & B. Little attention is given to improve civic infrastructure," said Suresh Mondal, a resident of Sector-21B.

M S Shehrawat, who was transferred from the post of municipal commissioner late on Monday night, did not respond to calls saying he was busy in meetings. However, a senior Haryana cadre officer who worked in Faridabad when the city received Central assistance said that only NBCC could respond to why these items were not used.

Faridabad is the only city in Haryana which has been covered under the JNNURM scheme. With 46% of its population living in slum areas, Faridabad is only second to Mumbai which has 54% people residing in slums.


Read more: Centre fund wasted in Faridabad - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city ... z1DZdVr900