Ameet Satam objects to BMC’s PPP model for 6 schools, says returns too low

BJP's Ameet Satam opposes BMC's PPP policy for school plots, demanding a review and cancellation of current allotments due to lack of transparency.

MUMBAI: City BJP president and MLA Ameet Satam has raised strong objections to the BMC’s public-private partnership (PPP) policy for municipal school plots and demanded that the allotment of five school plots under the policy be cancelled immediately.

Ameet Satam objects to BMC’s PPP model for 6 schools, says returns too low

In a letter to mayor Ritu Tawde and BMC commissioner Ashwini Bhide, Satam said that the civic body needed to review the scheme properly before moving ahead with it. He demanded that the BMC appoint a committee to review it in detail, hold discussions in the civic house and then create a balanced and inclusive policy after taking suggestions from elected representatives and education experts.

The BMC has currently identified six school plots reserved for municipal schools to be handed over to private operators under the PPP model. These are Kanya Shala in Malad, the Mahim BMC School, the Malad Dhanjiwadi School, the MHB Urdu School in Malad, the Vakola BMC School and the Thakur Village BMC School. Five of these have already received responses from private organisations.

Satam, in his letter, said that the policy was drawn up at an inappropriate time, in a hurry and without the requisite transparency. “It was framed during a period when the BMC general body was not in existence. There was no detailed discussion on its terms and conditions, the role of the civic body or the benefits for the BMC. Prima facie, it appears that the BMC’s interests have suffered under this policy,” Satam said in his letter.

The MLA added that public land in Mumbai should not be handed over without proper discussion and review. The proposed project had already run up against opposition in the civic education committee on April 24. During a committee meeting, members objected to the PPP model and asked the administration to keep the policy on hold until more details were shared with elected representatives.

The matter was first raised by BJP corporator Rohan Rathod during the meeting. Rathod questioned the financial benefits the BMC would receive and demanded a review of the policy. “The BMC will get around ₹83,000 per month from each school under the arrangement, along with only three per cent of the school’s revenue,” he said. “This amount is too low, considering the value of land in Mumbai. Public land reserved for education should not be given away at such low returns.”

Other committee members supported Rathod’s concerns. Education committee chairperson Rajeshree Shirwadkar later asked the civic administration to keep the policy on hold and submit complete information about the PPP model before taking any further decision.