Purchasing dustbins made compulsory through Finance Commission fund

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The office-bearers of Gram Panchayats are upset with the orders of the State Government asking them to purchase dustbins through the fund of the 15th Finance Commission.

It may be noted that the government issued orders that all Gram Panchayats in the State should purchase public big garbage bins and two small garbage bins for each family in the village for solid waste and sewage management.

The sarpanch has also raised the question that how can the Government interfere with the funds of the finance commission when it is the right of the gram panchayats.

The Water Supply and Sanitation Department conducted a workshop two weeks ago for the Chief Executive Officers of all districts the project Director of the Swachh Bharat Mission Unit of the State.

The Government has entered into an agreement with an agency to supply garbage bins, battery-operated Ghanta Gadi and tricycles to the Gram Panchayats of the State.

As per the population criteria, the village panchayats were instructed to demand dustbins, Ghanta Gadi or tricycles. The ZP has instructed the Gram Panchayats to give requirements for these materials.

It is expected to be spent fund of the Finance Commission on water supply and sanitation.

The fund is to be used to purchase individual dustbins for households and public dustbins as per need, while fund is provided to villages for solid waste and sewage management works through Swachh Bharat Mission.

Battery-operated Ghanta Gadi and tricycle will have to be purchased from it. The district had earlier received funds of Rs 8 crore from the Swachh Bharat Mission.

Now district received Rs 5 crore fund. Preference is being to spend fund on public toilets, private toilets and sheds to be set up for waste segregation. The remaining fund should be used to purchase battery-operated ghanta Gadi or tricycles for 870 Gram Panchayats of the district.

Box

Rate higher than market

As per the the rate of agreement, the Gram Panchayats will have to purchase two small dustbins for each family in the village, and large public dustbins on the basis of their requirements.

“The price of the dustbins is higher than the market price. Moreover, it is not possible to tell what their status will be,” said Ajinath Dhamane, the regional president of the Gramsamwad Sarpanch Association. The price of small dustbins is Rs 3,080 while the rate of each public dustbins is RS 7,000, for purchasing from the appointed agency.