Mumbai: BMC’s Covid expenses under the scanner

Comptroller and Auditor General of India begins audit of BMC’s expenditure on pandemic related work over the past two years

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India or CAG on Tuesday launched its probe into the civic body’s expenditure during the MVA’s tenure, including the allocation of works for the COVID-19 pandemic. A team from the audit authority met BMC’s chief and heads of its various departments as part of the process.

Confirming the meeting, BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said, “The audit is on for various departments. As per the routine procedure, they met me today. It was an entry conference.” Chahal met the heads of all civic departments, and ward and health officials on Monday to brief them about the audit procedure. The BMC faces allegations of corruption in various projects, with a total worth of Rs 12,000 crore, including its expenditure to contain Covid-19.

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During an Assembly session in August, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced a probe into alleged corruption in various departments of the BMC in the two years of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) rule. On October 31, the Eknath Shinde-led government wrote to the CAG for the inquiry.

The main allegations were related to allocation of works for COVID Care Centres, purchase of medical equipment, medicines, oxygen generation plants and awarding of contracts. The BJP legislators repeatedly alleged that the BMC awarded work worth R4,000 crore during the pandemic without proper tender process and at a higher price by misusing its power. The BMC has also been accused of purchasing a parcel of land in Dahisar at an inflated price.

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