New Delhi Municipal Council chairperson Archna Arora on Monday rejected the idea of sounding drums outside the houses of defaulting Members of Parliament the way the Municipal Corporations do for ordinary citizens.
“Playing the dhol is not necessary. It is not essential for the NDMC to function like the MCD,” she said, while addressing media persons following presentation of the Council’s Budget.
Asked about the Council not recovering water and electricity dues from the MPs, Ms. Arora said the dues totalled around Rs.5 crore. She, however, said that “some of the arrears have been paid” by the defaulting MPs.
Incidentally, in her Budget speech, the Chairperson had noted that the focus in the coming year would be on improving the quality of civic services and generation of revenue.
The Council is expecting its revenue to grow by 20.6 per cent to Rs.2,356.91 crore in 2013. It also expects the revenue expenditure to grow by 20.2 per cent and touch Rs.2,021.57.
