Report on Lectures by Guest Speakers
24TH NOVEMBER’ 2007
SHRI. NITIN GADKARI , Spoke on “Infrastructure Development”
Mr. Nitin Gadkari, former minister, PWD, spoke from his experiences on the topic ‘Infrastructure Development in India through Public-private Partnership’. Mr. Gadkari, now the president of Maharashtra State Bhartiya Janata Party in a humorous vein captured attention of the audiences while revealing his success story during the Shiv-Sena-BJP government regime in Maharashtra.
He narrated his experience of constructing the much-acclaimed Mumbai-Pune express highway in just two and half years through the principle of Public –Private Partnership (PPP). He elaborated how he took up the challenge with just five crore rupees at the government’s disposal when the lowest tender quted by Reliance for the same task was of Rs.3600 crores. Mr. Nitin Gadkari decided to go public to implement his formula of PPP. With the formation of MSRDC (Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation), a public limited company,
Mr. Gadkari urged for equity from the public. To his surprise, the issue oversubscribed to thrice the targeted amount to collect Rs. 1180 Crs. Then he never looked back. His successful implementation of PPP formula raised his confidence to build numerous flyovers in Mumbai to solve the traffic problems of the capital city absolutely with the government aid. The BOT (Build, Operate and Transfer) principle worked successfully to collect money from the users of the roads to pay rich dividends to the investors of MSRDC.
Thus, the money saved in the government treasury was applied for the road developments of remote districts of Amarawati and Gadchiroli.
He explains further that after independence, three different types of ideologies existed in India, viz.- Socialism, Capitalism and Communalism. But rather than following any of these ideologies to their extremes, he advocates a simple principal of ‘taking some from those who can pay and expending on those who cannot’. He does not mean snatching; rather he applies the principal of profit that implies benefit of the entrepreneur as well as the enterprise. That is what he calls Public Private Partnership.
He further suggested Honesty, Patience and Credibility as some of the virtues necessary for upcoming politicians. The participants of MIT SOG were inspired by his speech more because they found Mr. Gadkari actually following what he was preaching.
29TH NOVEMBER’ 2007
SHRI. VIJAY KALE , Spoke on “Working of a Municipal Corporation”
The Municipal Corporation have different tier of governance. First is the General Body (G.B), which is the Supreme body of the Corporation. The G.B can reject any estimates/plans/project proposed by the Standing Committee or any Committees. The Mayor convenes, presides or adjourned the GB. The assent of the Mayor is necessary to raise any topic in the G.B. All agendas to be discussed during the GB are distributed to all the Corporators at least 4 days before the GB. But agendas to be taken up as priority should be mentioned so in writing and be distributed at least eight days before the G.B. Half an hour is given for “Point of Information” to raise latest and current issues in the GB. But the consent of the Mayor is necessary. A member wanting a vote in any issue can do so within one minute. Voting is done by secret ballot. The decision of the GB is final. Budget is passed in the General Body. Budget is generally passed for one year. But huge projects and schemes are budgeted for about three years. The amounts that are budgeted but not spent in the current year become lapsed. Projects/schemes which failed to pass the GB can be taken up by the State Legislative Assembly. If the Bill/project as such is passed by the State Legislative Assembly, then the Municipal Corporation had to implement it.
The Standing Committee is like the cabinet. The Chairman of the Standing committee is more powerful than the Mayor. The Standing Committee plays a steering Committee role exercising executive, supervisory, financial and personnel powers. Planning of the projects is also done by the Standing Committee. The Standing Committee can call for a Special General Body meeting if six Standing Committee members signed for it. The Standing Committee can make estimates and call for tender for works that are up to Rs.50 lakhs. There are various committees like Tree Authority, Ward committees etc. for specific purpose. But are not as powerful or have much financial importance as the Standing Committee which is proportionately represented on their strength in the General Body.
The Municipal Commissioner is appointed for a fixed tenure by the State Government, which can be reduced or extended. The Municipal Commissioner is the Chief Executive Officer and head of the Executive Branch of the Municipal Corporation and as such all executive powers are vested on the Municipal Commissioner. The elected Municipal Corporation lays down the policies and legislate it. The Municipal Commissioner is responsible for executing these policies. Hence the Mayor, the Standing Committee or Corporators does not have the power to see where a certain projects/schemes will be implemented. The power is vested in the Municipal Commissioner. The Municipal Commissioner can prepare estimates and call for tender for work-orders that is less than Rs.10 Lakhs. The Departments can prepare estimates and call for tender for work that is up to Rs.3 Lakhs. The Municipal Commissioner can also sit in the General Body. The appointed Municipal Commissioner is more powerful by statute of the State Government than an elected Mayor, Standing Committee or Corporators.
The individual Corporator cannot do much work in their respective wards, as they are handicapped by the lack of power and finance as much of it is vested on the Standing Committee and the Municipal Commissioner. But the Corporators can raise their Ward’s issue in the General Body or take it up with the Standing Committee or the Commissioner. They can keep a track of the project/scheme that will be taken up in their ward, with the various departments.
Pune Municipal Corporation is unique and first in many ways. It is a classic example, of local self government where it wholly depends on itself for finance. PMC is an example where Corporators from different party ideologies have come together and are running the affairs of the city for its betterment. This experiment of burying their political difference can be replicated in other cities and government for stability and development of the city and the State. The general Body of the Pune Maha Nagar Palika is unique in the sense that Press are allowed to attend the General Body. The present day MPLAD Fund was in fact started first by the PMC in the Corporation level. Later the State Governments and the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, at the Central Government implemented it.
19TH NOVEMBER’ 2007
SHRI. VISHNU S. KOKJE , Spoke on“Role of Governor in Indian Administration”
His Excellency, Shri. Vishnu Kokje, Governor, Himachal Pradesh congratulated MIT-SOG for taking up the task of educating upcoming politicians. About the role of Governor in Indian Administration, he said the following.
According to him, the real test of a governor lies during emergencies and controversial issues. Governor is a friend, philosopher and guide to the state governments. He has moral as well as social authority. He acts as an arbitrator against public disputes. He bridges the gap between the ruling and the opposition parties in the state. A governor must not indulge into dirty politics while on the post; rather he must a neutral person. There cannot be a state without a governor, even for a single day. A person can act as a governor of two states simultaneously.
The foremost duty of a governor is to uphold the constitution. Governor performs his duties on advice of council of ministers. He is expected to act independently in certain situations. According to Article-167 it is the duty of Chief Minister of the state to communicate the governor the decisions of the council of ministers.
Governor has the rights to address the house according to Article-175 of the constitution. He may even send message to the house. According to Article-200, a bill is sent to governor for his accent. He has a right to find lacuna in the bill and send it back for reconsideration in the house. Article-230 empowers a governor to make ordinance.
Apart from this, governor appoints the judges of the high courts of the state. He also pardons remittance of sentences.
The state legislation empowers the governor to act as Chancellor for Universities in the State.
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