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Mumbai: BMC budget release likely on February 3; announcement without corporators for first time in 36 years

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Mumbai: Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal is likely to release the civic budget on February 3. As per BMC rules, the budget has to be presented in the first week of February. However, since the terms of the corporators ended on March 7, 2022, there is no general body or standing committee to which the budget proposals can be presented.

Civic officials said booklets containing the proposals are likely to be released on February 3. Last year, the BMC had a budget of about Rs 45,000 crore.

General body of corporators absent for budget first time since 36 years

There will be no general body of corporators at the time of budget proposal for the first time after a gap of 36 years. A similar situation prevailed in 1984 and 1985. The civic elections were expected to be held in October last year but were not held for a variety of reasons, including the controversy over the delimitation of wards. There is no indication when they will be held. However, the State Government has undertaken a massive beautification programme at a cost of Rs 2,000 crore.

CM Shinde, Deputy CM Fadnavis gave inputs for this year’s budget

This year, Chahal will present the budget in the BMC headquarters and address a press conference to brief the media about the highlights. He has been handling all administrative and financial responsibilities of the civic body since March 7, 2022. All the department heads are sending their proposals to him and he is approving them by using his powers as the administrator.

It is learnt that both Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis have given their suggestions for the budget.

Ravi Raja says this exercise is ‘dangerous to democracy’

Leader of the Opposition Ravi Raja of the Congress said, “It is dangerous to democracy. Officials who sit in the office will never know what are the citizens’ needs. We don’t know what the administrator did this year because there is no standing committee. There’s no general body where questions could have been raised by corporators on various aspects of the budget. There is no one to question Chahal. This year he will make the budget and present it to himself according to his convenience.”

BJP leader defends the move, says in accordance with Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act

However, BJP group leader in the BMC, Prabhakar Shinde, said, “As per the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act of 1887, the BMC administrator has power to present the budget if there is no standing committee and general body. But whenever the elections are held, the proposals will be placed before the civic standing committee. Until then, the administrator will run the BMC like he has been doing since last year.”

He said everyone until then has to get information by filing Right to Information queries.

Activist accuses BMC of flouting norms

Meanwhile, civic activist Kamalakar Shenoy has accused the BMC of violating norms while embarking on the beautification project. He has also filed complaints with the police in this regard.

Maharashtra

ED took action on 15 places including Mithi river, cleanliness, irregularities, Dino Morea

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Dino Morea ED

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has raided 15 places including Mumbai in the irregularities case in the cleaning of the Mithi river. The Enforcement Directorate has also claimed to have seized many important documents related to the case while conducting raids in Mumbai and Kochi. The ED has also raided the house of film actor Dino Maurya. The EOW has registered the first FIR in this case, after which the Enforcement Directorate has now started a parallel investigation. The ED has taken this action under the PMLA Money Laundering Act. Dino Maurya has also been involved in this irregularity. The EOW has also questioned him and his brother.

It is said that Dino Maurya and Ketan are close to Shiv Sena leader Aditya Thackeray. Now Dino’s troubles have increased. The EOW has found many important documents and evidence in the Mithi river corruption and irregularities case in Mumbai, so now the ED has also started its action in the case of misuse of funding and illegal tender purchase in this case. Many Shiv Sena leaders are also in the ambit of ED action, because during the Mithi river corruption scam, Shiv Sena was ruling the BMC, so the scope of investigation has become focused on Shiv Sena leaders. EOW has also made significant progress in its action in the Mithi river corruption case in Mumbai. More revelations are expected after the arrival of ED in this case. EOW has taken action against 13 people in this case so far and has also arrested them. In this, political leaders including BMC officials are also on the radar of ED.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai: MLA and SP leader Abu Asim Azmi appeals to avoid sacrificing animals in the open on Eid-ul-Azha

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Mumbai: Mumbai Maharashtra Samajwadi Party leader and MLA Abu Asim Azmi has appealed to Muslims not to perform Qurbani in the open and also follow BMC and government guidelines. Cleanliness is half of faith, so take special care of cleanliness. Not only this, it is mandatory to follow all the guidelines and guiding principles set regarding Qurbani. Take special care of cleanliness and ensure that the brothers and sisters of the country do not face any kind of trouble on Eid-ul-Azha. This is the real teaching of Islam. Celebrate Eid with mutual love, brotherhood and following Sunnat Ibrahimi. Azmi said that the waste of Qurbani on Eid should also be kept in bags and thrown in the dustbin.

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Maharashtra

Mumbai Congress delegation meets Municipal Commissioner, expresses grave concern over poor condition of city

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Mumbai: Today, a high-level Congress delegation led by Mumbai Congress President and MP Prof. Varsha Tai Gaikwad met BMC Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani. The delegation included MLA Aslam Shaikh, MLA Amin Patel, MLA Dr. Jyoti Tai Gaikwad, former corporator Haji Babbu Khan and other former corporators of Mumbai Congress.

Several important issues were raised in the meeting on administrative collapse, corruption and deterioration of public amenities in Mumbai.

‎🛑 Highlights of the meeting:

‎🔸 Increase in property tax without public approval
Violating the directions of the Supreme Court, the BMC increased property tax in the absence of elected representatives. The Congress strongly opposed this unconstitutional move and called it a financial burden on the people of Mumbai.

‎Scams in road construction
‎There is a possibility of massive corruption in the concreting of roads. Only 25% of the work has been completed so far and that too has been hampered by poor quality, damage to pipelines and serious irregularities in tendering – particularly in the inorganic phosphate based geo-polymer concrete tender.

‎🔸 Drain cleaning scam

Drain cleaning before the monsoon has become a sham. All the work has been handed over to contractors, no monitoring, no accountability. The Congress has demanded immediate and strict action.

‎🔸 Medical facilities in ICUs

BMC hospitals – like Baba, Rajawadi, Shatabdi and Bhagwati – are in a shambles. Patients are being forcibly sent to private hospitals, while privatisation of hospitals and delay in development work have worsened the problems.

‎🔸 Waste management
‎The sanitation system is already failing and now the BMC is considering imposing a “garbage tax”. In areas like Kurla and Borivali, the sewer line work has been incomplete for years.

‎🔸 Failure of the education system:

BMC school children have not yet been given books and uniforms. The commissioner has given a deadline of June 15. If this work is not completed, the Congress will again come out with questions on June 16.

‎🔸 Delay in housing schemes and PAP projects:

Housing schemes, PAP and redevelopment projects in areas like Andheri, Vakola, Khar have been victims of builder fraud, misuse of TDR and government negligence.

‎🔸 Other important issues

Corruption in central procurement process

Delay in approving hawking policy

Acute lack of facilities in Muslim graveyards

🗣️ Congress demands:

✅ ACB should investigate contractor mafia in BMC

✅ Independent audit of drain cleaning and road construction works

✅ Independent monitoring body should be formed for BMC tenders

Mumbai cannot be left at the mercy of a neglected and corrupt system. Congress will continue to fight at every level by becoming the voice of the people of Mumbai!

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