‘Lokayukta or Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) should Sleuth into Expenditures of Smart City Projects’- Ex-MLC Ivan D’souza
Mangaluru : Addressing the media persons during a press meet held at DK Congress Committee Hall Former MLC Ivan D’Souza said, “It has come to our knowledge that the Smart City projects undertaken by Mangaluru Smart City Limited (MSCL) has gone up three times more than the earlier estimated budget. Above that none of the projects are getting completed in time, and many are left half done. The way MSCL is spending money without proper planning, results in waste of taxpayers money. Citizens are already having doubts about misuse of funds for smart city projects. Since there are irregularities and work carried on unscientifically, we demand that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) or Lokayukta probe into the alleged irregularities in the Smart City Projects”.
Ivan D’souza further said, “It has been over two years since the inception of the Smart City project, and none of the projects undertaken until now are done systematically or to the standards. Only money has been spent on these projects, with no good results. It is advisable that there should be some kind of discussion planned in the nearest future, about the expenditure of the projects, since as of now there is no public accountability. Therefore the ACB or Lokayukta should sleuth into the smart city projects accounts and clarify the doubts of the public”.
“The nearly Rs 40 crore development work of Mahakali Padpu has come to a standstill with no work going on yet, and it is learnt that even the land acquisition is not done yet. done. I want to question MLA Vedavyasa Kamath, the delay in handing over houses to 916 families under Ashraya scheme. In 2018, the then Congress government had allotted houses for 916 beneficiaries under Ashraya scheme, however until now no houses have not been handed over to the beneficiaries.,even after two years. This very much shows the strategy of the BJP government by not showing any concern towards the poor, in providing the houses. Having come to know about the irregularities and mishandling of the projects, an order was issued to revise the entire list of beneficiaries which indicates some political angle in providing houses,” added Ivan.
MCC opposition leader Abdul Rauf, former MCC Mayor/corporator Shashidhar Hegde and Neeraj Chandrapal were present on the dais during the meet. were present.