Ex-Dy Mayor: Congress taking political mileage by releasing funds before poll

Sanjay Bumbroo

Tribune News Service

Mohali, November 28

Eyebrows are being raised over the timing of release of funds for development works in the city as the elections to the Mohali Municipal Corporation are to be held in January next year.

Former councillors and candidates of opposition parties claim that this was being done by the Congress to take political mileage in view of the forthcoming MC elections.

The councillors said the MC House had already passed the resolution and floated tenders for carrying out 200 development works, including pruning of trees, maintenance of parks, laying paver blocks, construction of three roads and setting up 50 multipurpose gyms in parks. These works could not be started due to the lockdown. In the meantime, its tenure ended on April 26.

They said Rs25-crore funds, which the Cabinet Minister claims to have brought from GMADA, were actually held back by the estate agency. He said the MC had spent the amount anticipating that the funds would be released by the agency.

Former Deputy Mayor Manjeet Singh Sethi said Rs85 crore to Rs100 crore was due from the Local Bodies Department, but it was not released on time. As a result, development works hit the roadblock. The MC had spent Rs30 crore anticipating that the funds would be released by the agency.

Questioning the timing of the release of funds to the MC, which the Cabinet Minister claims to have brought for the development of the city, Sethi said what was his contribution in bringing the funds? These were of the MC and held back by the estate agency.

He said had the minister brought over Rs100-crore funds, then he could take the claim of bringing funds for development works. City residents were educated and they knew who had carried out development in the city.