Corporators’ funds unlock, devpt begins

Lucknow: Development works stalled in all the 110 wards of the city are expected to resume in a few days as the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has decided to release the third and fourth instalments of local area development fund to corporators in August.
A corporator, an elected representative of a ward, is entitled to receive Rs 1.24 crore per annum as local area development fund, which she/he has to spend on civic amenities in her/his area.The fund is released in four instalments of Rs 31 lakh each. The first two instalments were released in March and April earlier this year.
City Mayor Sanyukta Bhatia said the LMC House meeting on Sunday had approved the decision to release the third and fourth instalments in August so that the civic works initiated by the corporators in their respective wards could resume.
The decision was taken after many corporators raised the issue that the funds released earlier had exhausted due to which several civic works in their areas have been stalled.
Corporators use these funds for construction or maintenance of inner roads, tiling in lanes, cementing drains, pavement interlocking, maintenance of parks and repair of streetlights. This year, corporators have also been allowed to spend a part of the fund on Covid-19 prevention.
Corporator of Ambedkarnagar ward, Rais Ahmed, said: “Our ward has three tubewells but all of them are lying defunct for six months. My first priority after receiving the corporator funds will be repairing those tubewells to ensure proper drinking facility in my ward.”
Similarly, other corporators said they would use funds for the repair of roads in residential colonies that are in a bad shape and are hazardous for residents in the rainy season.
In March, LMC had moved a proposal to slash the local area fund to Rs 50 lakh per annum, but it was dropped following stiff opposition by corporators.