New Delhi: Municipal Corporation of Delhi's engineering department has prepared a proposal regarding the re-appropriation of Rs 200 crore from the mayor's discretionary fund to the non-plan head in the municipal budget for 2024-25. The proposal is likely to be placed in the upcoming house meeting.
Officials explained that after the transfer of maintenance funds from various crucial sectors to the mayor's discretionary fund, there are no funds left for these sectors.The department is facing difficulty in performing essential duties such as the maintenance of parks and work on roads.
"MCD passed the budget estimates for the year 2024-25 and revised budget estimates for the year 2023-24 during March 2023. In the approved budget, funds in various heads were marked ‘nil'," said an official.
"It was reported by various divisions that due to ‘nil' provisions in various heads of accounts for 2024-25, financial bid opened tenders of 2023-24 were not able to mature and might have to be closed. Further, numerous proposals received for development works of approved colonies, unauthorised regularised colonies, rural and urban villages, etc., were regretted due to ‘nil' provision existing in budget provisions," stated the civic body in the proposal.
"Since the revised budget estimate for 2024-25 and the budget estimate for 2025-26 can be finalised by the corporation by Feb 2025 only, it is proposed to re-appropriate funds to the tune of Rs 200 crore from discretionary expenses of the mayor, wherein a budget provision of Rs 510.2 crore exists, and transfer the funds to 12 budget heads where budget allocation was made ‘nil' under Section 111 of the DMC Act," it added.