THRISSUR: The LDF government, which has been claiming to be the champions of decentralization, has enforced a drastic cut in road maintenance fund allocation to Thrissur district panchayat, claimed Congress leaders.
The government has allotted only Rs 3 crore this year, against Rs 17 crore earmarked in the previous year, said DCC vice-president and leader of opposition in the district panchayat Joseph Tajet.
Actually, the government should have allocated Rs 25.5 crore to the panchayat for road maintenance this year, considering that there was a spill over of Rs 8.5 crore of the previous year’s project allocation, he said.
On the other side, the government was also imposing tight regulations making it difficult for the local body to utilize the funds within the stipulated time.
The inefficiency of the district panchayat in fund utilization has aggravated the situation in the district. Thrissur district panchayat was occupying 14th position in terms of fund utilization last year, though its position has edged up to 13 in May this year, Tajet said.
Another related issue is that more roads are added to the list of roads to be maintained by district panchayats, making it necessary for them to find more resources for maintenance, he said.
Tajet said as per a communication issued by joint secretary, finance department, B Pradeep Kumar on the dip in allocation to the local bodies, the fund deployment was made as per the recommendations of the state finance commission.
“But such drastic cuts will hamper the working of the local bodies, and will go against the principles of decentralization,” Tajet said.
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