Blame game in civic body meeting over financial crunch

“Proposals with variation upto Rs 1,800 crore were tabled by the Sena,which has ultimately burdened the administration,” said Congress corporator and leader of the opposition,Rajhans Singh. “Why should the corporators fund be reduced due to Sena’s fault?”

BJP group leader Ashish Shelar said the crunch was created by Congress by refusing the permission to take an internal loan of Rs 2,500 crore. He said while the Congress-led state government allowed the Pune civic body to take an internal loan to overcome the crisis, it has not given the clearance to the BMC so far.

“This shows that Congress is conspiring against the BJP-Sena to tarnish its good image by pushing the BMC towards bankruptcy,” he said.

The Congress should help the BMC get Rs 700 pending with the state government,Sena leader Sunil Prabhu said. The state government over the last few years has not paid a sum amounting to Rs 703 crore for property,water,sewerage and other taxes and dues. The BMC has written a letter asking the government to make the payment immediately.

The civic administration has issued a 20-point guideline to overcome the crisis with stringent measures,including no funding for large scale infrastructure projects and 25 per cent reduction in corporators’ fund. NCP group leader Niyaz Wanu said since the budget is approved by the corporators,the administration cannot propose a 25 per cent cut in corporators’ fund without their approval.

Municipal Commissioner S Kshatriya assured the corporators that no development work or infrastructure projects will be affected and that he will study the civic administration’s plans and submit a detailed report on the matter next week.