As the North and the East Delhi Municipal Corporations reel under a major financial crisis, the BJP blames the State government for this precarious situation.
On the other hand, the State government has passed the buck to the Centre with the blame game continuing. However, in 2013, a year after the MCD was trifurcated, the Delhi Finance Commission had prepared a report recommending proposals to stabilise the corporations.
The BJP leaders in the Assembly and in the corporations have been demanding that the State government table the report. As per the recommendations, the revenue share of the civic agencies in the State revenue would increase drastically but the government will have to bear the burden of their losses.
“The report has strongly criticised the trifurcation decision,” said Vijender Gupta, Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly. The report was prepared in 2013 during former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s regime, “but she didn’t table it as it would have dented Congress’ image,” he added. Now, the BJP leaders are demanding that the AAP government table the report. “Even they don’t want to table the report for they will have to give money to us, which should come to us as grants and not loans,” he said.
However, sources in the Delhi government said the report is likely to be tabled in the Assembly session. “To table the report, there has to be some ongoing session. Such reports are tabled at the end of the annual year.” Moreover, with the report recommendatory in nature, it isn’t mandatory for the government to implement the recommendations, the source added.
