KOCHI: The Kochi Corporation special council meeting held on Wednesday discussed various issues related to the city, including the repair work of roads using cold Bitumin, construction of drains, ensuring the registration of migrant labourers in the city at the police station, water scarcity, and most importantly the diversion of Rs 10 crore allocated to the corporation by the government for launching a third Ro-Ro, to the State Water Transport Department.
Mayor M Anilkumar said that a ministerial-level meeting will be held to discuss the diversion of Ro-Ro fund to SWTD. At the meeting, opposition councillor M G Aristotle said that Rs 10 crore was allocated in the state budget to the corporation for buying a third Ro-Ro.
“However, we came to know that the allocated amount was taken by the transport department and diverted to the state water transport department. Earlier, when the Congress councillors asked the mayor about the fund, he had said that a discussion was held with the finance minister regarding the sanctioning of fund. But now, we know why there was a delay,” said Aristotle.
Responding to this, the mayor said that there is no doubt that the finance minister has allocated the fund to the corporation for buying the third Ro-Ro. “However, we should understand that the allocation of funds from the finance department takes place through working groups.
As Ro-Ro comes under the transportation sector, the fund was given to the transport department. The working group proposed that the SWTD should introduce a Ro-Ro that operates on solar power. The issue was discussed with the finance minister, and a meeting will be held with the transport minister to transfer the fund soon but it will take time,” said the mayor.
That’s why it was decided to utilise the Cochin Smart City Mission Ltd fund for buying a third Ro-Ro. “I had spoken to the officials of SWTD and the firm that has been entrusted to build a Ro-Ro. I told them that the specifications should be discussed with us as well,” the mayor added.
Diversion of fund
Rs 10 crore was allocated in the state budget to the corporation for buying a third Ro-Ro
However, allocated amount was diverted to the state water transport department as Ro-Ro comes under the transportation sector