Deputy Municipal Commissioner (General) I B Peerzada told Express Newsline that Ahmedabad had registered a growth of 14 per cent and Surat 3.48 per cent.

As compared to Rs 38 crore collected between March and September in the last financial year, the VMC had recovered Rs 44.52 crore, including Rs 9.71 lakh fine in September alone, in current financial year.

It may be recalled that in 1997-98, the VMC had failed to meet the target of Rs 95 crore and recovered only Rs 38 crore. The original target was Rs 105 crore, which was brought down to Rs 85 crores in the revised budget. This year the target is Rs 105 crore.

Peerzada said although the recession, which had hit the markets last year still continued, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation had succeeded in registering growth due to stepped up vigilance.

He claimed that now the VMC was recovering fine up to 10 times from the defaulters and no officer had powers to recover fine less than that. ``If the fine has to be lowered, the defaulter has to approach the civic chief,'' he added.

Moreover, assistant municipal commissioners and ward officers were posted for the job apart from officers of the ranks of revenue officers. While the VMC currently has five jeeps, a proposal to purchase more jeeps is pending.