Mumbai: ‘BMC must declare where funds have been utilised’

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) made a provision of Rs 1,050 crore, to be utilised for basic civic amenities and works suggested by the MLAs and MPs in the 2024-25 budget. The civic body has increased the provision for MPs and MLAs by Rs 245 crore, as compared to the current financial year.

Civic Chief I S Chahal presented the civic budget for 2024-25 in the first week of February. According to budget fund code 11, under the provision for providing various basic civic amenities and development work, the BMC made a provision of Rs 750 crore. Another provision of Rs 300 crore was made under the provision for work other than basic civic amenities. Civic officials confirmed that this fund will be utilised for work suggested by MLAs and MPs for their constituency.

According to the budget document, in the budget estimate for the current financial year (2023-24), BMC had made a provision of Rs 255 crore under the provision for providing various basic civic amenities and development works' head, which was later increased to Rs 715 crore in the revised budget. The provision for work other than basic civic amenities was also introduced in the revised budget. Under this, the BMC made provision of R90 crores. This fund is utilised by approval of the guardian ministers for MLAs and MPs. BMC made a total provision of Rs 805 crore in the 2023-24 revised budget.

According to the civic document, the BMC has distributed a fund of Rs 700 crore to the state's ruling party MLAs, MPs and former corporators. Opposition MLAs and MPs didn't get funds. In February, the BMC passed a resolution that it will provide funds for the development work suggested by the MLAs and MPs only after the next civic election, which the civic chief confirmed will happen in the forthcoming financial year.

Meanwhile, former BMC Opposition leader Ravi Raja said that the BMC should declare where the funds were used for works suggested by MLAs and MPs. "This is taxpayer money and people need to know where the fund was used. In the current situation, we don't think public representatives of the Opposition party will get any funds next year as well," he said. Shiv Sena (UBT) Assembly leader Ajay Chowdhary said that this is an injustice to citizens. "They are taxpayers. If we don't get funds in the next year as well, we will definitely approach the court," Chowdhary said.

Meanwhile, BMC scrapped a provision made for each electoral ward for the next financial year. mid-day reported on February 15, 2023, that BMC made a provision for R3 crore in 77 electoral wards which are dominated by BJP, while there was a provision of Rs 1 crore for the other 150 wards. After the mid-day report, the BMC faced strong opposition and no provision has been made in the forthcoming financial year's budget. Chahal and Guardian Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha remained unavailable for comment.

Rs 1,050 cr
Amount to be utilised for basic civil works