The Kozhikode Corporation has deferred the implementation of 70 projects worth ₹4.36 crore including the plan to link biometric punching system with the SPARK salary software for employees.
The proposals were amended at a special meeting of the city corporation council, chaired by Deputy Mayor Meera Darshak on Thursday afternoon.
Some of the deferred projects included demolition of the old building behind the corporation office for facilitating the construction of a shopping complex, renovation of several drains and maintenance of grounds, palliative care and women oriented schemes.
The reason cited for postponing the proposals, which were originally approved by the District Planning Committee, was that the projects could not be completed before March 31. However, the projects would be considered under the multi-year plan so that the civic body would be empowered to utilise the allotted funds in the coming fiscal. Besides, the funds would not lapse.
Local self-governing bodies have been adopting the practice of multi-year budgeting off late since most of them were unable to execute projects within the financial year. Last year, the Kozhikode Corporation had postponed the implementation of projects to the tune of ₹19.5 crore.
The deferment of the projects came in for criticism from opposition parties. P.M. Suresh Babu of the Congress flayed the ruling Left Democratic Front for its alleged inefficiency in implementing projects such as SPARK-biometric punching system envisaged more than a year ago. Such a system was necessary to keep a tab on the performance of employees, he said.
Congress councillor P.M. Niyas and BJP member Nambidi Narayana pointed out that the decision to defer the SPARK-biometric punching system project would drag the civic body backwards.
However, CPI(M) members M. Radhakrishnan and K.V. Baburaj and Janata Dal member P. Kishenchand said the corporation was unable to execute the projects as its employees were engaged in activities related to flood relief. This happened in the previous year too.
However, corporation Secretary Binu Francis told the council that the civic body had completed 33% of the projects so far. Bills worth ₹30 crore had also been submitted to the treasury as well. Kozhikode Corporation would be placed on top position once the restrictions imposed on treasury payments were lifted. Technical problems had delayed the implementation of the SPARK-biometric punching system project, Mr. Francis said.