State govt taking credit for BMC’s accomplishments: Jayant Patil

Former Finance Minister Jayant Patil. File Pic/Rane Ashish

NCP MLA and former Maharashtra Finance Minister Jayant Patil accused the state government of taking credit for work done by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), including the Rs 13,060-crore Coastal Road.

During his speech on the interim budget of the state for 2024-25 in the Assembly on Thursday, Patil said the finance minister mentioned the Coastal Road work in his speech. The civic body fully funds the construction of the project. The 10.58-km Coastal Road is being constructed from Princess Street flyover at Marine Drive to the southern end of the Bandra Worli Sea Link. Its first phase will be completed soon. "The BMC's coffers are emptying and the state government is taking credit for its work," said Patil.

He added that the Savitribai Phule and Lahuji Salve memorial work would be started by the Pune Municipal Corporation but the finance minister mentioned it in the interim budget. "If that is the case, the state government will also take credit for work that is being done by gram panchayats," he said.

Shambhuraj Desai, state, excise minister, replied that the land belongs to Pune civic body and the state would fund the construction of the memorials. But Patil replied that he was doubtful about whether the state government would really fund it as the state government had also made claims about the Coastal Road. Desai did not reply to this.

Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar said that as per the estimated budget of 2023-24, the fiscal deficit is Rs 1,11,995 crore. "The finance minister said it will be Rs 99,288 crore in 2024-25 with around Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 crore growth in the revenue. How can it be reduced in the next year without a sizable increase in revenue," he asked. Wadettiwar added that the state's debt would touch R8 lakh crore next year but the state was dreaming of a trillion-dollar economy by 2028.