Centre asks MC to explain road works under NCAP

Nidhi.Bhardwaj
Ludhiana: Civic officials, who have not been able to get pending grant under the National Clean Air Programme (NCAP) and the 15th Finance Commission, are also struggling to get the fresh grant for 2024-25.
Now, if officials want the grant, they will have to clarify why they spent a major chunk of it on roads, even though there were other schemes for road works.They are also being asked why they did not give credit to the Centre after using central govt funds.
Officials purchased machinery, developed public parks, constructed roads, and undertook many projects under the 15th Finance Commission and NCAP. However, for the past financial year, they were denied the grant on the grounds that their air quality index did not show any improvement. Their share of the grant was distributed among cities where there was improvement in air pollution. Amritsar city got Rs 4 crore on these grounds. Sources said that during a meeting in Delhi, which local officials attended online, the first objection raised was lack of credit to the Centre for works undertaken using central govt funds. Additionally, it was pointed out that road works were taken up using the grants.
Sources said that officials planned to install boards or specify which head the grant was received under on the machinery being used.
For the Smart City Mission, MC officials have been directed to install boards indicating that the work has been taken up under the Smart City Mission. Officials said that they would submit their reply about road works. They said that they prioritised road works because dilapidated roads were a major source of pollution in the city.
Meanwhile, officials are tight-lipped about the grant to be received under the scheme and claimed that they were trying to get their share after formation of the MC general house.
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