‘No new fine, no tax hike; focus on recovery will strengthen NMC’
06 Dec 2019 10:46:36
Staff Reporter :
In the past few years, raising the revenue of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has been a big task for the Mayors and Chairpersons of Standing Committee. Sandip Joshi, the new Mayor of the city, acknowledged the problem but said that NMC’s financial health would not improve by imposing new fines or increasing existing taxes. “I am not in favour of imposing new fines or effecting tax hike. Instead, I am of the opinion that improvement in recovery of existing taxes will improve financial health of NMC,” Joshi said, while interacting with mediapersons during ‘Meet the Press’ programme organised at Press Club here on Thursday.
According to him, aid from the Government had improved in the past some years. Thanks to the then Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, he said, even the Goods and Services Tax aid to NMC had increased from Rs 52 crore to Rs 96 crore. Still, he added, saving of funds is important. Judicious spending, improving recovery will play a major role for the civic body. According to Joshi, he got a tenure of only one-and-a-quarter year to perform as Mayor. “It is like playing a 20-20 cricket match,” he said. Total 100 suggestion boxes were placed in different locations in the city, inviting suggestions from the people from November 27 to December 5. He extended the deadline to December 7.
After that, suggestions received will be collected and studied. On December 12, NMC will conduct grievances redressal camps based on the inputs received at Zone Offices of NMC. The complaints/grievances/suggestions will be compiled and placed in public domain with clear response whether NMC is in a position to redress/implement a particular grievance/suggestion. Asked about the complaints received so far, he listed encroachment along the road and especially footpaths as a major one. It is followed by complaints against cattle-sheds and stray cattle on roads, menace of stray dogs, and cleanliness/sanitation issues. Regarding encroachments, a committee headed by senior corporator Dayashankar Tiwari was constituted.
“We have received his report today. We are mulling over formulating a stringent policy to deal with the issue of encroachments,” Joshi said. Encroachers returned to their place within a day or two of action. To avoid this, heavy fine and filing of First Information Report (FIR) are the measures being considered, he added. In fact, a special general body meeting also has been called on December 7 to discuss the issue. Asked about his initiative of Mayor’s Fund, Joshi said that in four days norms relating to beneficiaries would be finalised. A committee headed by Sanjay Bangale was finalising the norms. “I have donated by honorarium.
Yesterday only, I wrote to all the corporators to make similar contribution. Also, I shall be writing to all the officers in NMC and MLAs to donate generously to Mayor’s Fund,” he told reporters. Everything about Mayor’s Fund will be ready by January 1, he stressed. About change of regime in the State Government and its likely impact on BJP-ruled NMC, Joshi said that there was no change so far in Government funds flow. “Already, the new Chief Minister has declared that no development works will be stalled. We are confident that the State Government will give its share in construction of cement roads and Nag river abatement project,” he remarked. Further, he added, when there is a strong Leader of Opposition in Devendra Fadnavis, Nagpur need not worry.
75 Sulabh toilet complexes to be constructed: Joshi On the problems regarding cleanliness/sanitation, Sandip Joshi said that Nuisance Detection Squad (NDS) was taking action. However, he rued, there were problems about people urinating in the open. To ensure that public toilets at public places were maintained well, he said, he had asked the officials concerned to display on board the name of sanitation worker responsible for maintenance of a particular toilet. “This will come into effect from tomorrow. Besides, from Mayor’s Development Fund, 75 additional Sulabh toilet complexes will be constructed during my tenure,” he informed the mediapersons. Further, a meeting with petrol/diesel pump owners would be held to request them to follow the norms and make available toilet facility in the pump premises. Also, the number of personnel in NDS (87 at present) would be increased. A walk-in interview is scheduled on December 11, to induct additional 114 persons in the squad. Ex-servicemen and retired CRPF personnel will be inducted in NDS. As far as garbage collection is concerned, everything will be in place in days to come.
‘Wild animals’ presence near city to be raised with Forest Deptt’ Regarding stray dogs, Sandip Joshi informed the mediapersons that a meeting with NGOs was called on Friday in this regard. As the number of stray dogs is increasing every year, sterilisation drive is needed. To a question about presence of Tiger and Leopard in the close vicinity of city limits, he said that he would raise the matter in a meeting of Forest Department officials scheduled on December 7. In the same meeting, he would discuss the waiver of entry charges to Japanese Garden. To another question, he replied that the works planned under 24x7 water supply scheme would be completed by the year 2021.