HC seeks AAP govt's reply on plea for release of funds to SDMC

The Delhi High Court today sought response from the AAP government on a plea filed by a civic body corporator seeking release of funds to SDMC and implementation of recommendations of Fourth Delhi Finance Commission.
A bench of Justice V P Vaish directed the city government to file its reply within two weeks and posted the matter for further hearing on September 14.
During the brief hearing, advocate Swarupama Chaturvedi, appearing for the petitioner Radhey Shyam Sharma, a municipal corporator and Chairman of Standing Committee of South Delhi Municipal Coorporation (SDMC), said the Delhi government has failed to provide 100 per cent Grant-in-Aid for Education.

The counsel said that the grant-in-aid fund is used for providing better education to the students in the NCT region.
She argued that due to failure of the Delhi government to release funds to municipal corporations, the basic civic problems like health issues are affected and removal of garbage from the streets is also hampered.
The plea sought release of taxes to the extent of Rs 87.04 crore, Municipal Reforms Fund -- Rs 567 crore, Grant-in-Aid for Education -- Rs 120 crore as budgeted by the Delhi government under grant-in-aid heads to SDMC.
"In the past few years there has been an attempt on the part of Government of NCT of Delhi to suffocate South Delhi Municipal Corporation by depriving it of it's due share of funds under various heads," the plea said.