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| Edited By: DNA Web Desk |Source: DNA Web Desk |Updated: Sep 08, 2022, 08:15 AM IST
Vinai Kumar Saxena, the lieutenant governor of Delhi, wrote to Arvind Kejriwal, the chief minister, requesting that he release 383.74 crore that is allegedly owed to the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). Saxena added that these funds have been "unfairly withheld" over a two-year period, between 2020–2021 and 2021–2022.
The communication from September 6 asked that "383.74 crore be made accessible to the MCD at the earliest opportunity for the greater benefit of the inhabitants of Delhi."
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The Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led MCDs have been in conflict over the alleged lack of cash allocated to the three corporations (the bodies were combined earlier this year), and Saxena has now entered the debate for the first time with his letter. Calls and texts requesting comment on the situation were not answered by the Delhi government.
Saxena stated in his letter that the money is mostly needed for the maintenance and construction of infrastructure connected to schools, hospitals, dispensaries, roads, footpaths, etc. that affect Delhi residents' everyday lives.
"It need not be emphasised that the above budget estimates were voted and approved by the Delhi legislative assembly and was incumbent upon the urban development department to timely release the funds to MCD. It was not done despite several requests and due to non-release of funds the provision of various public services by MCD is being adversely impacted causing inconvenience to the citizens of Delhi," LG said.
The BJP has previously claimed that the AAP government withheld over Rs13,000 crore from Delhi's corporations in accordance with the recommendations of the 3rd, 4th, and 5th Delhi Finance Commissions. All three mayors, the chairs of the standing committees, and other important civic leaders staged a protest outside the mansion of the chief minister in December 2020 to demand the release of funding. The AAP administration has insisted that there are no pending dues.
