Mangaluru: “Why Corporation needs to borrow an amount over Rs. 38 Crore for petty works being undertaken at 60 Wards of the Corporation. The Corporation, which has borrowed Rs. 32.82 Crore, is a living example of the administration going astray. This anti-people rule of the Corporation is strongly condemned. The double engine government should get funds and do the development works,” said Former MLA J. R. Lobo.
He was addressing a press conference on Monday January 9. “Before taking up minor development works by the Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC), a white paper should be issued on the revenue generated by the Corporation through various sources,” he said. “Smaller works like footpaths, drains and retaining walls should be constructed using the internal funds of the Corporation instead of taking loans, he stressed and added that that loans should be taken to undertake works that will help in asset creation and also help bring in revenue to the Corporation in the long run.
The unscientific decision of the Corporation to take a loan from KUIDFC is a violation of the law. KUIDFC can sanction loans only for projects that helps in asset creation. He said that the financial condition of the local body would be derailed if it takes a loan for minor works.
The ruling BJP Party should also come out with a white paper on the financial condition of the local body under the Corporation. He questioned why the corporation was refusing to respond to the Opposition’s demands.
The Civic Body can increase its revenue collection by collecting property tax in the City in a scientific manner and by collecting double the tax from buildings that have violated the norms. He demanded that the corporation should do the work of detecting leakages in revenue collection.
