PUNE While citizens are already burdened with high fuel prices and increased electricity charges, even the Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC’s) expenditure on fuel has increased from ₹74 crore to ₹126 crore in the last four years. The civic body’s power bills, too, have increased from ₹149 crore to ₹213 crore, as per details provided in the budget.
While presenting the draft budget for 2022-23 on Monday, Pune municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar shared various figures comparing income and expenditure over the last four years. Kumar said that during the year ended December 2018, the PMC spent ₹74.42 crore on fuel with the expenditure on fuel increasing every subsequent year to reach ₹126 crore in December 2021. Kumar said that increased fuel charges had put a burden on the civic body.
A PMC official requesting anonymity said, “For the last few years, oil prices have remained high. The PMC needs fuel for its garbage-carrying vehicles and other officials’ vehicles. The PMPML fuel is not part of these figures. That is different and gets reflected in the PMPML budget.”
Civic activist Vivek Velenkar said, “For the last few years, despite crude oil prices having remained low, the central government has kept them high. Naturally, both government agencies and the common man have been affected and the figures are indicative of the same. Also, if as the PMC claims, they have indeed installed more than 1lakh LED bulbs, why is the electricity expenditure increasing!”
{{/usCountry}}Civic activist Vivek Velenkar said, “For the last few years, despite crude oil prices having remained low, the central government has kept them high. Naturally, both government agencies and the common man have been affected and the figures are indicative of the same. Also, if as the PMC claims, they have indeed installed more than 1lakh LED bulbs, why is the electricity expenditure increasing!”
{{/usCountry}}Meanwhile, Kumar also raised the issue of increased salaries. “Our main worry is over the salary component. As the 7th pay commission has been accepted for municipal and PMPML employees, it has brought a huge burden on municipal expenditure. This can be observed by comparing the figures for the past four years. Even the number of contract employees has increased, putting an additional burden on the PMC. As 31% of the budget is spent on salaries alone, it has forced the civic body to reduce the budgetary provision for development works,” Kumar said.