Expenditure of Amma Unavagam should be audited: Councilor Dhanasekaran

CHENNAI: Senior councilor and Chennai Corporation head of accounts committee, K Dhanasekaran on Friday demanded transparency and an internal audit on expenditures made by the Corporation's zonal officials.

Audit committee inspection has revealed that the zonal officials in the city have taken crores of money through self-cheque and the receipts of expenditures are not audited. In Teynampet zone (zone 9), more than Rs 6.34 crore cash was withdrawn through 37 self-cheques during the fiscal 2020 -2021. An average of Rs 17.13 lakh was withdrawn through self-cheque in a gross violation of corporation rules. There is some gray areas in expenditures made by the civic officials attached to zonal offices and again the expenditure of Amma unavagam also lacks transparency, Dhanasekaran informed the council seeking the intervention of corporation commissioner J Radhakrishnan.

"Similarly, in 2019 – 2020 over Rs 2.3 crore fund has been used through self-cheques by the officials of zone 9. The Corporation commissioner should instruct the authorities to stop the practice of withdrawing money through self-cheques," the accounts committee head said.

Though huge losses incurred in Amma unavagam in the city, it has been functional for people welfare. However, at least Rs 7.99 crore have been spent much more than the revenue at 38 Amma unavagam in Teynampet zone (zone 9), K Dhanasekaran said.

The income of these Amma Unavagam (zone 9) was Rs 1.55 crore, the total expenditure for the same is over Rs 9.54 crore of which essential commodities including rice, vegetables, and other items cost Rs 4.63 crore," Dhanasekaran said.

The labour costs for the workers at the canteen has been more than Rs 4.91 crore. So, over Rs 7 crore spent more than the revenue of Amma canteens in the concerned zone, but there is no poper audit on Amma canteen accounts and this should be investigated, Dhanasekaran added.

Councilor demands regularisation of parking rates in private malls

Meanwhile, ward 143 councillor V Rajan demanded the intervention of Chennai corporation council to regulate the parking rates in private malls and informed the council that a few malls in Chennai are fleecing the public.

"A few city malls charge Rs 40 per hour for parking, and 30 per hour thereafter. At least 10 cars can be parked in 1,000 square feet in the malls and they collect Rs 7,300 per day, and Rs 2.19 lakh per month, this is looting public and should be regualted," Rajan said. The civic body should take action to limit the parking charges in the malls, the councillor added.