Oppn flay PMC, civic chief for inflated annual budget

PUNE: Opposition parties in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Wednesday criticised the municipal commissioner as well as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for

PUNE: Opposition parties in Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) on Wednesday criticised the municipal commissioner as well as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party for inflating the civic budget. They raised doubts on realising the income of Rs7,390 crore, as stated in the budget, in the fiscal 2020-21.

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PMC general body passed the budget presented by standing committee chairman Hemant Rasane after discussion.

Congress leader Arvind Shinde said, “The standing committee chairman inflated the budget by about Rs 1,100 crore than the figure presented by municipal commissioner which is 18 per cent above the draft budget. The budget has been inflated for the first time when all the income sides are in the negative.”

“Generally, everyone blames the elected members, but here the municipal commissioner is also at fault. Despite knowing that the income side is in deficit, the commissioner inflated it. If the administration is misleading the elected members then it’s wrong,” he said.

Rejecting the allegations, Hemant Rasne, chairperson, standing committee, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), said, “I have worked with a bank which was into loss and burdened with negative assets. I brought it into profit during my tenure with the financial institution. I have formed a revenue department in PMC for the first time. I would concentrate on this department and ensure that it generates more income. The property tax department had dues more than Rs4,000 crore which would be recovered through amenity schemes.”

Rasne had presented a Rs 7,390 crore budget for the year 2020-21. Municipal commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad had presented a draft budget of Rs 6,229 crore.