BMC has kept proposals worth INR 540 Cr on hold since April: Shiv Sena

Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders are alleging that the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has put developmental proposals by legislators on hold since April. The proposals are worth over INR 540 crores.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MLAs & MLCs warned BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal and said that if their proposals are not accepted in some time they will hold a protest at every civic ward office.

They are also demanding that the Municipal Corporation should provide an office to the Opposition leaders as one is set aside for Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Guardian Minister Of Mumbai Suburban district. The delegation led by the Leader Of Opposition in the Legislative Council, Ambadas Dave, met Chahal recently.

Speaking with the media reporters Ambadas Dave said, "When we inquired about the unequal distribution of funds, Chahal said that the state government had made the decision and that the funds had been distributed in accordance with the guardian minister's recommendations."

He further added, "What use does a civic administrator have if the state government would be making decisions on the BMC? This is unfairness towards taxpayers, who have an equal entitlement to public funds, not towards MLAs. To discuss the matter, we will be meeting with the CM and the guardian minister."

MLA Sunil Prabhu said that he submitted a proposal worth around INR 36 crores in April to the guardian minister and municipal commissioner, but they have not taken any decision about it.

MLC Sunil Shinde attended the meeting of Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders and BMC chief. He said, “I've already filed a proposal for development work along with our MLAs. Each MLA put up a proposal for INR 16 crores. On the ideas, however, the BMC has not yet made a decision. Together with the MLAs, I as the MLC, made recommendations totaling around INR 540 crores.”

Former corporator, Sachin Padwal, said that just eighteen offers had been received by the officials, according to a civic accounting department officer. He said, "Our MLAs have submitted three to four times more number of proposals." The delegation also spoke about concerns pertaining to health facilities, and the beautification of the shoreline from Worli Koliwada to Prabhadevi.

For the 150 seats that are not BJP strongholds, the administration set aside INR 1 crore, while a provision of INR 3 crores was made for 77 wards that are strongholds of the BJP.

On the other hand, BMC elections have not yet been conducted. In its 150-year-old history, for the first time has spent 19 months under the administration’s rule, but without electing representatives.

A corporator in a civic body builds a bridge between citizens and the administration. At the ward level, the corporator is in charge of working with the civic body to plan and carry out a variety of civic works, such as road building and repairs, pothole filling, sewage work, public health, sanitation, and water supply.

A municipal body's standing committee, law committee, health committee, education committee, improvements committee, works committee, and tree committee are just a few of the statutory committees that the elected corporators are induced into. These committees are essential in helping the civic administration formulate new policies and approve proposals and resolutions pertaining to urban development and infrastructure construction.