CHENNAI: Municipal Administration Minister SP Velumani on Wednesday requested the Centre to release the Rs 3,558.21 crore grant to the State pending due to the delay in local body elections.
Presenting a memorandum to Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Piyush Goyal, Velumani requested the Goyal’s intervention in the release of the second instalment of the basic grant of Rs 1,390.04 crore and performance grant of Rs 560.15 crore to the urban and rural local bodies for the financial year 2017-18. Additionally, the first instalment of the basic grant of Rs 1,608.02 crore for the year 2018-19 was also sought.
The funds have been allocated under the 14th Central Finance Commission.The Minister who met Goyal with Lok Sabha Deputy speaker M Thambidurai and Power minister Thangamani, said elections to local bodies in the State had been delayed due to litigations and delimitation processes. The memorandum said that all urban and rural local bodies are in dire need of funds. The legal impasse continues during the intervening period resulting in the State not being able to conduct local body elections.
Meanwhile, Thangamani sought an additional allotment of coal for Tamil Nadu.
Sought coal
Minister Thangamani sought additional allotment of coal and to allot coal blocks Utkal C and Mandakini A to the State