Panchkula: Panchkula Municipal Corporation asks councillors to spend up to Rs 1 lakh per project

Panchkula: The Municipal Corporation is going to give additional powers to the councillors to get minor works done in their respective wards. After the approval, the councillors will not need to bring the cases costing less than Rs 1 lakh per project to the Municipal Corporation House, as they will be allowed to approve and complete it themselves. This matter has been discussed in the meeting of Municipal Corporation councillors and employees and now approval from the Commissioner is awaited. Officials said that after the approval, the councillors will be able to get minor and emergency works done in their respective wards. They will be able to spend up to Rs 1 lakh per project on 10 different projects in a year. In this way, the councillors will be able to spend Rs 10 lakh per year without the approval of the House. In this way, the Municipal Corporation will be able to spend a maximum of Rs 2 crore in a year on behalf of its 20 councillors. Sources said that this matter has been approved by the Mayor and two councillors Suneet Singhla of Ward 13 and Gurmel Kaur of Ward 10. He said that the commissioner has not approved it, but it has been sent to the urban local bodies department for approval. Ward 13 councillor Suneet Singla said that this decision has been taken so that the minor works of the residents can be completed on time. He said, “Many times people come with minor problems like potholes in front of their houses or broken gates in parks, which can lead to accidents. These works require minimal expenditure, but they remain pending, because all the work to be done by the MC has to be completed through the concerned officer, there is a proper process of preparing tenders, calling tenders, allotment and completion of work, which takes at least 45 days. This new decision will end unnecessary delays in work and the work will be completed with the approval of the councillor.” Mayor Kulbhushan Goyal said that the Municipal Corporation is facing many problems like broken walls on public properties and street lights not working. He said that after getting approval, these works will be completed only with the consent of the councillors. He said that there will be no delay in completing such works.