It is shocking that BMC would be using only 50% of the allotted funds on various developmental projects during the current fiscal year (DNA,2/2/09). Who should be held responsible for this lapse ? Municipal Commissioner and his staff ( who are supposed to be the planners and executors) and the Corporators ( who are supposed to be the representatives and guardians of the City). This highlights the need for citizens to take up the issue with BMC and the State Government.
We have to create a mechanism to monitor the allocation and its execution. It would be a good idea to have a citizen's penal for each ward for this purpose – a penal of five people from among the NGOs, corporates and the professionals whose mandate would be to supervise developmental activities on behalf of the citizens. This panel can identify developmental activities needed in the area. The corporators and the municipal administration seem to be ineffective. People should not be deprived of development because of the red-tape and corruption when there are enough tax revenues. Let all NGOs and Chambers of Commerce ask all the political parties to include this in their manifestos and should be part of the municipal law.
People have to be vigilant, whether it is internal security or developmental security.
February 2,2009.
