Chandigarh, February 27: This month, Local Bodies Minister Navjot Sidhu has announced Rs 141.53 crore for the completion of sewerage projects in Jalandhar, Rs 216.67 crore for providing civic amenities in Faridkot, Kotkapura and Jaito and sewerage projects worth Rs 206 crore for Sangrur. When he announced these projects, he said the amount for the same would be released within a week.
The minister, who had PPCC president Sunil Jakhar accompanying him during most of these “unveiling ceremonies”, claimed that they had arranged funds worth Rs 1,540 crore for development projects in 107 cities across the state.
Here’s the catch. The Local Bodies Department is making these announcements in the light of Rs 1,540 crore that they had pursued and had been approved by the Housing and Urban Development Corporation (HUDCO).
However, the loan amount has not been given to the Local Bodies Department, as the state Finance Department wants the terms of loan to be reworked.
Using the income earned by its non-profit-making company Punjab Municipal Infrastructure Development Corporation (PMIDC) for repaying the interest on the loan, this loan is what would help the Local Bodies Department to restart all the sewerage and water supply projects that were stopped last year after the Congress government took over.
With all these unfinished development projects coming to an abrupt halt last year, the government, especially the Local Bodies Department, is earning a lot of flak from people.
The PMIDC earns Rs 200 crore per annum from the two per cent Goods and Services Tax collections that go straight to the PMIDC fund. This income will be used for repaying the interest on the loan.
Source Tribune India
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