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₹550cr GST fund deficit becomes prime poll issue in PCB
Though the Congress party has launched a tirade against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of failing to procure GST pending dues to the tune of ₹550 crore, the BJP has also put up a brave front
PUNE
The precarious financial situation of the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) has become a high-voltage campaigning issue for all major political parties contesting the board’s eight seats in the April 30 election.
Though the Congress party has launched a tirade against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), accusing it of failing to procure GST pending dues to the tune of ₹550 crore, the BJP has also put up a brave front, claiming that the funds were stuck due to a technical problem and would be released shortly.
However, a few upcoming leaders have raised the issue of the previous administration’s squandering of financial resources, which they claim resulted in a financial deficit.
All PCB development works, including road work, drainage, water supply, anti-hawker menace, parking lots, garden maintenance, and a plethora of small and large civic works, have been hampered by pending GST dues since 2017 and a lack of central funds for PCB development.
“We had taken follow-up on the issue, and currently the CM and DCM have made a special allocation of funds for the development board at the request of cantonment MLA Sunil Kamble,” said former PCB nominated member Sachin Mathurawala.
“The board’s financial condition is a creation of the Congress,” said prominent former BJP elected member Kiran Mantri from Ghorpadi.
“Only after we assumed power in 2014, we implemented the Local Body Tax. We have raised the issue of GST dues with both the federal and state governments, and both have responded positively. The GST funds will be released by the government in due course,” he said.
Congress MLA Ramesh Bagwe said, “The cantonment has been under the control of the BJP, which has legislators, a guardian minister, deputy CM and a PM but still fails to address such an important issue as GST dues. Cantonment residents are suffering as a result of the saffron party’s ineffective governance.”
Upcoming youth leader Amit More said, “The problem of PCB fund shortage is due to faulty decision-making undertaken by the past administrations and elected representatives.”
New voters list
The Pune Cantonment Board electoral roll, which was finalised on March 15, will include approximately 5,036 new voter names. Approximately 1,036 new voter names will be included, including at least 4,000 army officers and their family members. Citizens have flocked to the board office since the announcement of the poll schedule, even though the application review process is still ongoing.
The PCB’s voter registration drive in military areas is now complete. Voter registration forms were distributed to army units and training establishments, including Armed Forces Medical Colleges, Military Intelligence Training Schools, and depots as part of the campaign.
4,000 military personnel have submitted voter registration applications. Candidates will also be granted special permission to campaign in military areas.
