₹7.43 crore Covid CSR funds lying idle with PMC

Civic activist Vivek Velankar, while procuring the information under the Right to Information Act, found that the civic body received ₹4.89 crore funds during the year 2020-21 and ₹3.10 crore a year later

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) failed to spend the majority of funds it received as donations during the Covid-19 pandemic from citizens and corporates. According to information shared by PMC on Monday, ₹7.43 crore of the donated funds has been lying unused.

As Pune was severely affected during the Covid 19, citizens and corporations from across Maharashtra extended their support to municipal corporations to provide basic health services for the citizens. (HT PHOTO)

Civic activist Vivek Velankar, while procuring the information under the Right to Information Act, found that the civic body received ₹4.89 crore funds during the year 2020-21 and ₹3.10 crore a year later.

As Pune was severely affected during the Covid 19, citizens and corporations from across Maharashtra extended their support to municipal corporations to provide basic health services for the citizens.

Commenting on the revelation, Velankar said, “PMC spent only ₹1.30 crore for Covid beds and oxygen. Apart from these expenditures, the civic body has not spent a single rupee and instead deposited the donated sum as it has got ₹70 lakh interest on it. Considering the grave situation in the city back then, it is sad that the PMC did not utilise these funds for improving healthcare infrastructure in the city.”

Velankar said, “Now PMC must ensure that these funds are used for improving clinics and PMC hospitals and to purchase necessary medical equipment.”