Cong to protest fee hike in front of MC office today

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 15

The city Congress has announced to hold a protest against the hike in parking rates, in front of the office of the MC on Monday.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, former Union Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal alleged that an unreasonable increase in the parking rates was another decision of the BJP Government, which made the lives of residents miserable. He said the fee for conversion of properties from leasehold to freehold too was hiked multiple times. Bansal alleged that the government failed to provide any relief to the common men. The Street Vendors (Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act was also not implemented properly by the BJP Government.

He flayed the government for its failure on rising incidents of theft, snatching and rapes in the city, adding that residents were feeling unsafe in view of the rising crime.

Bansal said while residents were burdened with the hike the Budget allocation for the city had been declining for the last four years when the BJP Government was in power.

He said during the UPA Government in 2014, the city was granted Rs 813 crore for its development. Thereafter, the funds were reduced every year.

City Congress president Pradeep Chhabra said MP Kirron Kher failed to bring Central funds for the development of the city.