Pics: Spoorthi Ullal
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (JS)
Mangaluru, Dec 21: Mangaluru South MLA J R Lobo on Monday December 21 responded to the allegations levelled by MCC opposition leader Sudhir Shetty regarding the Amrut scheme and elaborated on the various projects for which funds have been granted or demanded.
Sudhir Shetty in a press meet had alleged that due to improper proposal submitted by the Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC), the city had received only Rs 3.5 crore under Amrut scheme as compared to Rs 40 crore by other corporations, and that there was a burden of Rs 8,000 loan on each citizen.
Addressing a press meet at MCC, J R Lobo said, "It was alleged by the opposition leader that there is a loan of Rs 8,000 loan on each citizen of Mangaluru city and only Rs 3.25 crore has been sanctioned for MCC under Amrut scheme. I have called this press meet to clarify. The work undertaken under ADB phase 1 is not complete, there is small portion left. Under ADB phase 1, Rs 370 crore has been spent on underground drainage. The same amount of work would cost Rs 900 crore today. Out of Rs 370 crore, 50 percent of the amount is grant by the government, and only 40 percent is loan and the rest 10 percent is corporation's share.
"Under ADB phase 2, we are preparing the project report and we would be getting Rs 340 crore. For water supply projects 40 percent will be the grant, 50 percent loan and 10 percent will be MCC's share. As infrastructure projects are huge and cost a lot of money, particularly underground drainage (UGD) works, it is necessary to take loans," he explained.
"These are not direct loans but taken from the government. Even state government and central government take loans. Big cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Kolkata and many other cities have taken big amount of loans. We are taking loans only for water supply and UGD projects. We have spent about Rs 190 crore for water supply and Rs 370 crore on UGD in phase 1. We have taken the least amount of loan compared to any other city corporation.
"We will get Rs 148 crore under Amrut scheme. We will use this money entirely for renovation of drainage system in the Mangaluru old city area. The current drainage was built in the year 1958 or 1960, and now it is in bad condition. As this drainage is located in the city area it cannot be repaired by excavation. So we need to use modern technology like pipe busting which will cost a huge amount of money.
"We have asked not to sanction this amount (Rs 148 crore) in the first year as it takes time to prepare project report and money given cannot be carried forward. Instead, we have asked to pay Rs 25 crore in second year, and Rs 50 crore each in third and fourth years and the remaining Rs 23 crore in the fifth year. We have asked for this revision and the government has written a letter to the department concerned in this regard. I assure the residents of Mangaluru city that we will provide them the best infrastructure," he said.
Mayor Jacintha Vijay Alfred, corporator Deepak Poojary and Harinath were present in the meeting.