Amidst chaos surrounding the implementation of the K-Smart system, the Kozhikode Corporation Council, at a special meeting on Monday, approved an annual list of projects for the year 2024-25 worth ₹196 crore.
As the United Democratic Front (UDF) councillors were denied permission to speak on K-Smart on the grounds that issues other than the scheduled ones should not be discussed at special council meetings, they staged a walkout.
The UDF councillors had gone to the council meeting bearing banners and placards suggesting that the services offered by the Corporation office were on a standby as K-Smart had not been operational completely. As the Mayor invited councillor O.P. Shijina to present the list, Opposition leader K.C. Shobhita began speaking on K-Smart and the difficulties faced by the public who were often forced to return home empty-handed, owing to the inefficiency of the system. However, the Mayor and the councillors of the ruling front opposed her move, which led to altercations between the ruling and Opposition councillors.
IUML councillor K. Moideen Koya pointed out that the UDF had been forced to bring up the issue in the special council as the Corporation Council had not met in the last one month, while it was necessary for the council to meet at least twice a month. “It is sad that we do not get the opportunity to discuss real issues affecting the public,” he said.
The UDF also alleged that the inefficiency of services after the implementation of K-Smart had pushed the Corporation into a financial crisis. “Processing of birth, death and marriage certificates, building tax, building permit, and various taxes has become difficult with the implementation of K-Smart since January 1,” alleged Ms. Shobhita.
Meanwhile, ₹104.75 crore of the funds for the projects passed on Monday comes from the Corporation’s project fund, while ₹50 crore comes as Nagara Sanchaya grant and ₹31 crore as maintenance grant. There are 506 public projects. The allotments include ₹9.91 crore for Scheduled Castes’ welfare, ₹4.14 crore for Scheduled Tribes’ welfare, ₹10.48 crore each for production, women’s welfare, children, and differently abled, ₹22 crore for housing, ₹2 crore for nutritious food, ₹13 crore for SSK, ₹16.16 crore for roads, and ₹15.09 crore for non-road works.
