Audit still awaits records of projects approved by PMC

For the audit department to make provision for such works and projects in next year’s budget, various departments of the corporation must provide their names and estimated costs to the audit department

While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has approved various works and projects on priority using article 72B of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (BPMC) Act, 1949, the administration has not provided the audit department with records of these works and projects which are necessary for the audit department to make provision for them in next year’s budget.

Audit department head Ulka Kalaskar said, our department had issued a letter to all department heads and sought information about all such projects that got permission by using article 72B but we haven’t got the required information from the departments till date. (HT PHOTO)

For the audit department to make provision for such works and projects in next year’s budget, various departments of the corporation must provide their names and estimated costs to the audit department. Past experience shows that whenever the administration has failed to provide the audit department with records of such works and projects, the same have not been provided for in the budget of the subsequent year and as a result, have ground to a halt.

Citing an example, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) member Vishal Tambe said, “A few years ago, the auditorium on Sinhagad road was approved using article 72B but in the next few years, the standing committee chairman refused to make budgetary provision for the same which is why it is pending till today.”

Audit department head Ulka Kalaskar said, “Our department had issued a letter to all department heads and sought information about all such projects that got permission by using article 72B but we haven’t got the required information from the departments till date.”

According to sources, municipal commissioner Vikram Kumar recently held a meeting with all the department heads and directed them to first list the projects that were going under article 72B so that the same would be provided for in the regular budget. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, general body meetings did not take place for a long time and various proposals were approved under article 72B. An official on condition of anonymity said that projects worth more than Rs5,000 crore including the 24x7 water project, riverfront development, various flyover works and proposals related to health, were approved using this article.

Recently, Congress leader Aba Bagul alleged that the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) had brought this trend. He said that if the next standing committee chairman were to refuse funding for all such works and projects, it would get difficult for the ruling party.

As per article 72B of the Bombay Provincial Municipal Corporation (BPMC) act 1949, the municipal commissioner and general body can use funds on priority for projects that are not planned or do not have budgetary provision.