GCC Budget: Councillors claim development fund insufficient

CHENNAI: As many as 82 announcements were made during the Chennai Corporation Budget session on Monday. The ward members extended their support towards the Budget allocation and put forward their opinions regarding the same during the debate held at the Ripon Building on Tuesday.

The ward members had made suggestions to the Chennai Mayor on several announcements and requested to discuss with the councillors before the fund allocation for the next financial year.

The civic body increased the development fund for the ward councillors to Rs 40 lakh from Rs 35 lakh. However, members claimed that the amount would not be sufficient to carry out the infrastructure development works in the respective wards.

K Karthik, Ward 7 councillor said, "We are unable to utilise the given fund due to GST which is around Rs 7 lakh. The tax and finance committee should make sure that the councillors get the allocated amount."

He further added that there is only one slaughterhouse in Pulianthope, and steps should be taken to set up a slaughterhouse in each zone for hygiene practice.

The ward members also requested to initiate medical insurance for the councillors.

In another announcement, it was told that damaged name boards should be replaced by digital boards.

Ward 49 councillor T Elango stated digital name boards should be set up to display writings of Aringnar Anna, Periyar and former chief minister M Karunanidhi.

The councillors also mentioned the road and street name should be in Tamil.

"The civic body spends Rs 1.95 crore for new vehicles to catch stray dogs and cattle, instead of vaccinating, sterilising on complaint basis from the public. The civic body should catch stray dogs on a regular basis and monitor its population. Also, the conservancy workers in the city should be provided with gloves and shoes as safety measures," expressed K Dhanasekaran, head of accounts committee.

In addition, M Renuka, award 42 councillor, during the Budget debate, said that the fund allocation for solid waste management and health have been less compared to the current financial year.

And the Corporation should focus more on these departments for the welfare of the people, she demanded.