'Fix responsibility on study tours taken up by corporators'

Seeking to bring in greater accountability in civic administration, a corporator in the Shiv Sena-ruled Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has moved a notice of motion in the House, seeking to fix responsibility on study tours taken up by its councillors.
Avkash Jadhav, a nominated member, has moved the motion by writing a letter to the city Mayor.
He said that study tours should be encouraged and municipal corporators and administrative heads should represent the city at the national level seminars and conferences.
"But at the end of such study tours by administrative staff or by the legislative body members, a report should to be submitted, along with a follow-up plan, as this will enable appropriate utilisation of the tax-payers money and will set some guidelines and accountability to such study tours and the said report of the study tour, can also be uploaded on the MCGM website," reads the letter.

"My move is to make the administration and councillors more accountable to the tax-payers. Outcome of the study tour should be in sync with the objectives of the such tours," Jadhav told PTI.
"The objective of such tours is to encourage, exchange of ideas in terms of providing various civic amenities, to learn and execute some innovations applied by the other municipal bodies to our city," it added.

"The study tours are suppose to make some differences in the way we (civic body) functions, to introduce new innovations and to have a regular exchange programmes.
"Ultimately this is the tax-payers' money which is utilised to undertake such activities, with a hope that some constructive and defined change will be seen after the end of each tour," the letter said.

"By setting some definite objective to such study tours , we will be able to bring in some visible change in our system and be able to differentiate it between a regular outing," it added.
Lauding the move, former Central Information Commissioner Shailesh Gandhi said elected representatives often go on such tours at the "expenses of taxpayers' money" and label it as "study tours".
"There is no outcome of any benefit to citizens, but these are opportunities for fun and frolic at public expense. I believe that the House would pay sincere thought on the move and do away with such unwarranted expense of money," he said.