Kochi Corporation lags in Plan fund utilisation

KOCHI: Though the Kochi Corporation is much behind in utilising the Plan funds, it seems the officials of the civic body are not bothered much. As per the District Planning Commission, the corporation could only spend nearly 23 percent of `138 crore allocated to it. CPM councillor and Education Standing Committee chairperson Poornima Narayan said the civic administration was least bothered about utilising the Plan funds. 

"The government clearly instructed the civic authorities to use 70 per cent of its total fund allocation by the end of December. But it is sad to note they are not at all bothered about it. Though the state government nominee convened a review meeting to assess the progress of Plan fund utilisation, even the Mayor didn’t turn up,” she said. According to her, the Corporation is putting all the blame on confusion prevailing over GST. As per the latest status, Kochi is in the fourth position among the six municipal corporations in spending Plan funds.

The Corporation lags behind many other local bodies in Ernakulam district also. However, Mayor Soumini Jain in her reply during the council meeting said the confusion over the GST has delayed the project implementation. "We informed the issues related with the GST to the government. It was only last month the government finalised a tax slab," said the Mayor. 

Symbolic protest
In a symbolic protest against the lackadaisical attitude of the civic body in implementing the projects announced in its annual budget, the opposition placed a wreath in front of the Kochi Corporation office. 
The wreath was placed on top of the budget manual. Later, the leader of the opposition, K J Antony handed over the budget manual to the Mayor.

'They are blaming GST'
CPM councillor and Education Standing Committee chairperson Poornima Narayan said the the Corporation is putting all the blame on confusion prevailing over GST. She said the civic administration was least bothered about utilising the Plan funds