The AINRC government, in a calculated move against the Congress, which has been severely criticising it, has thrown the ball into Congress’s court for facilitating the conduct of local body elections in the Union Territory by securing central funds.
Besides, shifting the blame on Congress for the NR Congress government’s failure to perform to the expected level, it has further put the onus on Congress for undertaking remedial measures, by securing statehood for the UT. The resolutions adopted at the executive committee meeting of the party on Monday indicate this.
A resolution has urged the Minister of State for PMO V Narayanasamy and Rajya Sabha Member P Kannan, both from Congress, to manage funding for the local bodies from the Union government, which has eluded the Union Territory so far. “Both of them should get the required funding of `270 crores due to the UT,” said Chief Minister N Rangasamy, chairing the executive committee meeting.
The party justified its lack of interest in the local body polls and maintained that with no powers and no funds, local bodies with elected representatives will remain as decorative pieces only. It will not serve the purpose of taking democracy to the grassroots, observed the party.
AINRC further claimed that the Congress’s criticism of AINRC for showing lack of interest to contest was only out of fear of defeat.
In order to avail the central fund (grants) for local bodies in Puducherry, an amendment in constitutional provisions is required to be made by the Central government.
This amendment would make Puducherry eligible for the grants. Thus, the ruling party has now conveniently shifted the onus on the two Congress MPs to initiate the amendments, to facilitate procurement of funds for the Union Territory.
The party observed that two months ago the Chief Minister had met the Union Home Minister, Union Finance Minister and others and requested them to release finance for funding local bodies to the tune of Rs 270 crores. The underlying statement is that NR Congress government has done its duty to secure the funds and now it is the turn of the Congress to play its role for the UT (civic elections).
The party also turned the tables on Congress for its non-performance to the level expected by the people. In an indirect attack on Congress, the party cited the decrease in central funding over the years leading to an enhanced borrowing and a heavy loan burden as major deterrent in the government’s performance.
Though the central funding was 41 per cent of the budgetary expenditure, it has reduced to only 17 percent in 2011-2012.