CMC seeks Rs 14 cr annually for solid waste management

Cuttack: The annual grant of Rs 6.5 crore from the 13th Finance commission for solid waste management in Cuttack city is highly inadequate and therefore the Cuttack Municipal Commission (CMC) today urged the State Finance Commission to increase the funds for the purpose.

In a meeting held here between the Fourth State Finance Commission and all the urban local bodies coming under the ten districts of central division, the CMC commissioner made a plea to increase its annual allotment.

The 13th Finance Commission is now providing an annual grant of Rs 6.5 crore to the civic body for the solid waste management. ?But we need at least Rs 18 crore for the purpose?, said the CMC commissioner.

He also pointed out that the civic body is now facing extreme financial crunch and the holding tax structure in the city has not been revised for last several years for which major developmental projects are suffering.

The meeting held under the chairmanship of newly appointed RDC P K Mehrda and was attended among others by the State finance commission chairman Chinmaya Basu, members of the Commission D P Ray and A K Mohanty, member secretary P K Biswal and urban department project director B K Mohapatra.

The executive officers of all the urban bodies located in the ten district of the central division were also present.