Municipal bodies await Swachh Bharat funding

March 01, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:36 am IST - NEW DELHI:

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley called Swachh Bharat Abhiyan an achievement of his government and made it a pillar of the taxation policy, but Delhi’s municipal corporations are still awaiting funds to clean up the city.

Launched on October 2, 2014, the ambitious campaign to improve sanitation across the country was supposed to give the civic bodies additional resources to strengthen cleanliness.

A total of Rs. 500 crore was expected to be allocated to the civic bodies. But, officials in the BJP-led municipal corporations admitted on Saturday that no additional funds had come their way.

“We are yet to get any extra funds for sanitation as there was no government in Delhi for a year. But, with the new announcements in the budget, we are hopeful that more funds will be available for sanitation,” said South Delhi Municipal Corporation Leader of the House Radhey Shyam Sharma.

The North and East Delhi civic bodies have been undergoing a financial crisis for the past year. So spending on infrastructure like more garbage trucks, public toilet complexes, and waste processing units has slowed.

Mr. Jaitley’s budget speech included a possible two per cent Swachh Bharat cess on all or select services and 100 per cent tax exemption for donations to a Swachh Bharat fund.

“Swachh Bharat is not only a programme of hygiene and cleanliness, but, at a deeper level, a programme for preventive healthcare, and building awareness,” said Mr. Jaitley in his speech.

He said that 50 lakh new toilets had been constructed in 2014-2015, and that the target of six crore toilets would be attained.

However, not only is progress on new toilets slow in Delhi, existing toilet complexes are in a sorry state.

North Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Yogendra Chandolia said there was a need for more public toilets in Delhi and welcomed Mr. Jaitley’s focus on it.

“Though we have not been able to pay our garbage collection contractor on time, our work has not slowed down. We have increased the amount of garbage being lifted and even purchased 10 more trucks,” said Mr. Chandolia. Municipal officials added that they welcomed the budget announcements on Swachh Bharat, but funding for sanitation services must be provided.

Jaitley’s budget speech included a possible two per cent Swachh Bharat cess on all or select services

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