Chandigarh, September 3:- City Mayor Sh. Kuldeep Kumar today met with Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Punjab and Administrator, UT, Chandigarh and raised various key issues pertaining to the larger public interest and requested to look personally into the matter for strengthening the financial position of Municipal Corporation as well as welfare of its employees and also requested to release the installment of grant in aid quarterly instead of monthly as per past practice.

In a letter written to the Administrator, the Mayor raised that as such, the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh remained dependent on financial assistance provided by Chandigarh Administration in the shape of Grant in Aid. In addition to this, Municipal Corporation's own revenue is also being utilized to meet the day to day expenditure and other development works being undertaken by the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh.

The Municipal Corporation Chandigarh is providing the facilities to the general public on no profit no loss basis. It is further brought to notice that Municipal Corporation has collected revenue from following annual receipts approximately Rs.323.00 crores:

(i)Residential and Commercial Property Tax.

(ii) Water connections and bills.

(iii) Booking of Community Centers.

(iv) Booking of open spaces.

(v) Circus Ground Sector 17, Circus Ground Manimajra-Housing Board Chowk and Exhibition Ground Sector 34, Chandigarh.

(vi) Apni Mandi & Day Market.

(vil) Providing space for construction materials.

(viii) Advertisements.

(ix) Auction of Taxi Stands.

(x) Cable operators.

(xi) Car bazaar.

(xil) Enforcement penalties.

(xiii) Auction of Paid Parking.

(xiv) Fire department.

(xv) Rent from MC Shops, Tenement Sites situated in Sector 52, 53, Vikas Nagar Mouli Jagran, Gawala Colony Maloya.

The letter further says however the revenue receipts are not sufficient to cope up with the financial crunch of Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh. Therefore, necessary instructions may be issued to the Chandigarh Administration to release the proceeds of taxes under the provisions of following Section 90(6) (a) (b) (c) (d) and (e) of Punjab Municipal Corporation Act, 1976 as extended to Union Territory Chandigarh by the Punjab Municipal Corporation Law (Extension to Chandigarh) Act, 1994:-

(a) Under the Indian Stamp Act 1899 on account of stamp duty on transfer of property situated within the local area of the city:

(b) Under the Punjab Motor Vehicles Taxation Act, 1924 as applicable to the Union Territory of Chandigarh, from every person keeping a motor vehicle within the local area of the City:

(c) Under the Punjab Electricity (Duty) Act, 1958, on the energy supplied within the local area of the City:

(d) under the Punjab Entertainments Duty Act, 1955, as applicable to the Union Territory of Chandigarh from every person admitted to an entertainment within the local area of the City.

(e) under the Punjab Entertainments Tax (Cinematograph Shows) Act, 1954, as applicable to the Union Territory of Chandigarh from the proprietor of the premises where a public cinematograph exhibition is held withn the local area of the city.

The total revenue of Municipal Corporation for the financial year 2023-2024 was Rs.1042.00 crores inclusive of grant-in-aid received from the Chandigarh Administration was Rs.560.00 crores. The expenditure of the Municipal Corporation during the financial year 2023-24 was Rs.1143.00 crore. The difference between the receipt and expenditure is approximately Rs.100 crores short. Now for the coming financial year 2024-2025, Rs.200 crores is required in addition to the sanctioned grant-in-aid i.e. Rs.560.00 crores. Due to increase expenditure on account of arrear, salary and pension under 7th Central Pay Commission, increase in wages rate, electricity charges and other miscellaneous expenditure on the various ongoing projects.

To release the grant-in-aid as per the recommendation of 4th Delhi Finance Commission to the Municipal Corporation, Chandigarh.