MC forgets its poor

It seems the Chandigarh municipal corporation has forgotten its poor. Nearly 25,000 below poverty line families in the city are allegedly being deprived of the basic amenities as the MC did not allocate the 25% of the total budget meant for the urban poor, which is mandatory according to the norms of the ministry of housing urban and poverty alleviation. HT Image In 2007, the union ministry had directed the state government and the union territories to allocate the minimum 25% of the budget for the urban poor. According to the ministry norms, at least 25% of the municipal budget should be allocated for the urban poor. The Chandigarh MC has allegedly never implemented the ministry directions of allocating the internal budget for basic services to the urban poor.” Mayor Raj Bala Malik said, “We will make a proposal for the said budget in the next financial year after working out the modalities.” BJP councillor Davesh Moudgil said, “The Congress has been ruling the MC for the past 10 years.