Where have you spent our money? BMC asks BEST

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After sanctioning Rs. 1800 crore for the BEST, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has now asked the BEST where all the money is spent. In a meeting, the members of the standing committee raised the question about the spends done by the BEST. The Chairman has thus ordered to take a detailed audit report from the BEST.

A proposal was tabled in the Standing Committee meeting on Monday for post-approval of breaking the FDs to help the BEST. The BMC broke three of its fixed deposits from its reserve fund to give Rs 478 crore to BEST to repay part of the Rs 1,136 crore debt. Though the proposal has sanctioned in the meeting, Ravi Raja, leader of the opposition, BMC questioned the accountability from BEST.

"The BMC has already sanctioned a huge amount for the BEST and the civic body is breaking its reserve fund to give a helping hand. But what is the BEST doing? Where have they spent the money and what is their plan to do with the rest of it?" asked Ravi Raja, in the standing committee meeting.

Yashwant Jadhav, chairman of the committee accepted the query raised by Ravi Raja. "BMC is readily giving aid to the dept ridden BEST. The standing committee has approved the amount immediately so it is our responsibility to see where the money is actually get spent." Jadhav has asked the details of the spending from BEST to table it before the next committee meeting.

The civic body sanctioned Rs 600 crore in June, - Rs 100 crore per month - for the rest of the year. It has decided to give Rs 1,136 crore as the transport wing has that much debt and has to pay 9 to 11 per cent interest on it. Out of Rs 1136 crore, BMC has given Rs 478 crore in August.

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