Times of India: Pune: Monday, July 16, 2018.
Funds
amounting to Rs 392 crore due from the state government is a reason for worry
for the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).
“The civic
administration should take steps to get this money from the state government.
These funds can be utilised for different works. The elected members should
demand it,” Vivek Velankar of Sajag Nagrik Manch, a citizens’ group, said.
He said some
of these funds have been pending with the state government for years.
Data showed
that grants are given for tax, electrical, water supply, health, education
board, projects, roads, garden and land departments, the group which sought
information under the RTI Act, found. The PMC gets aid for 15 different works
in the departments. A total of Rs 394 crore is due to the PMC which has
received only Rs 2 crore in last three and a half months. Around 392 crore are
yet to come.
According to
officials, the civic administration is following up with the state government.
Reminders have been sent to the state government. “We have shared all the
details of the pending funds with the elected members. Their support will help
us recover the funds quickly.”
The civic
administration has assigned dedicated an official for follow up with the state
government. His task is to visit the secretariat and check the status of civic
works pending there. He has been told to keep track of financial aid too. More
manpower is needed for such works, a PMC official on the request of anonymity
said.
MLA Medha
Kulkarni said, “We make sure that the projects in the city don’t get affected
due to lack of funds. We do take follow ups to get funds for projects. In
addition, if the PMC approaches us for any specific pending aid from state, we
will do a follow-up.”
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