100 crore grant Belgaum JAGORE

Belgaum is used to unwarranted discussions and debates on issues which are important for the development of the city but the citizens are never taken into confidence nor do they know what exactly is happening for development of their city.

In the past week or so the 10 crore special CM grant for the city has been the talk of the town, if not with common man at least within the journalists for sure.

The opposition in the corporation has been raising its voice against the manner in which the grant is been utilized. The corporators allege that they don’t know what works will happen in their ward, in fact the Mayor himself had quoted that he did not know that the works under said scheme were begun. They also alleged that not even a single meeting of the committee formed for the overlooking of the works of the said grant has taken place. Also all the tenders have been granted to a Andhra company.

Today Basavraj Bommai, minister in charge of Belgaum district said that the special grant was for the city and it had nothing to do with the approval or disapproval of the corporators. He further said the said grant has been given for the development of the city and the DC will over look the implementation of the same. The tenders for the same were called in by the urban development ministry and approved. A committee was formed with the DC being the chairman and MP and MLAs have given their points in the meeting.

In a contrast to Bommai’s words MP Suresh Angadi said that he never knew that there was committee formed for this purpose and he was never invited for the same. He also raised the question that if the grant was not given to the Belgaum Corporation then why that is on the tender document City Corporation was mentioned and also signed by the commissioner of the Corporation.

This will not end here it seems, but Belgaum and controversy always go hand in hand. It could be just anything but controversy will come along.

For your ready reference I have attached the Tender documents floated by the Belgaum Corporation and the same are linked to their website.

The complete Tender with all the details of the works

Corrigendum to the Tender

The mayor had written a letter asking the work to be stopped but then he again wrote a letter asking the work should not be stopped as he came to know that the fund is not related to the Corporation.

My question here is see the above images of the tender documents where the City corporation is mentioned and the corporation commissioner has signed it, so how has this been done, when the fund is not for the corporation.

The worst part I have observed is the works taken in various wards are small in nature and nothing big has been planned, then why is that these 100 crores are being wasted to make gutters, roads. Instead the same could have been used to make over bridges, new parks or for that matter new infrastructure. 100 crore is not a small amount but instead of spending in small amounts something good for the city could have been planned which could help the city in its development.

Belgaum is supposed to be a cool and calm city with its citizens almost blindly believing what they hear. But now is the time to change. That fund was given for Belgaum and as citizens it should be the duty of the authorities implementing it ( it may be anyone here the corporation or the MLA’s or the DC) they should made public all the works that will be taken up by giving ads in various newspapers. People might say it’s there in the tender document but, my question is the Tender document accessible to all citizens.

People would now suggest making use of the RTI act to get info in this regard, but who will come forward is the big question, and even if someone does come up what after he gets the information. What about the dissemination of the information.

What Belgaum needs is a strong CITIZENS FORUM, which can have its say in such matters and also have the power to influence such works.

Is Belgaum ka kya hoga, pata nahi;
Agar aaj hum so gaye to phir kabhi nahi Uth payenge.

JAGORE!!