Rourkela: A case over upgrading of the city from a municipality to a municipal corporation which is still pending in the High Court may cost Rourkela its Smart City tag, according to a report.
The Centre, after according the Smart City status, has granted Rs 500 crore to Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) for development and beautification of the city.
However, the authorities have failed to spend a rupee from the fund as election in the corporation has not been held since 2013 due to the High Court case.
According to reports, people of some localities, who were reluctant to come under RMC jurisdiction, filed a petition in the court when the city was declared a corporation in 2013.
As the court is yet to give its ruling on the matter, the administration has failed to take a decision over holding elections to choose people’s representatives for smooth execution of development projects.
If the stalemate continues for any longer, the fund sanctioned by the Centre may return and in the absence of development activities, the city may lose its Smart City tag, feared locals.
“It is high time the authorities took a decision to settle the matter and spend the Central fund for the development of the city,” said Amulya Charan Baral, a senior citizen of Sector-5.
“People are set to get a host of benefits with Rourkela becoming Smart City. However, the status is under threat due to administrative apathy. The government should be held responsible if the city is robbed of the famed tag,” warned another denizen Chitaranjan Das of Koelnagar.
Minati Debata, a city-based social activist, was of the opinion that the court should pronounce its verdict on priority basis as RMC elections are important as far as spending of government money is concerned.
The development of the city would help in prosperity of the state as well as the nation, she said.
“People should keep aside their political differences for the development of the city. All party politics should aim at the growth of Rourkela. The return of Central fund will only bring disrepute to the city and state,” opined Nagen Kumar Das, a lecturer of Sector-16. PNN