Mumbai civic body chief says need BMC reserve funds to boost infrastructure

BMC had announced that it will draw funds from its deposits of around Rs 70, 000 crore to make up for the deficit in revenue

Justifying the reason behind tapping into its reserves for the first time this year, municipal commissioner Ajoy Mehta said that there was an urgent need to use these funds to boost city’s infra projects. Major projects like the coastal road, which was said to begin in April, will take off by May or June, he said.

Ajoy Mehta pressed upon the need for upgrading the schools, sewerage plants, civic hospitals and to focus on the capital expenditure. (HT FILE)

Owing to the decrease in its revenue, the BMC had announced that it will draw funds from its deposits of around Rs 70, 000 crore to make up for the deficit. Speaking at an event organised by Observer Research Foundation, Mehta pressed upon the need for upgrading the schools, sewerage plants, civic hospitals and to focus on the capital expenditure. After its announcement to open crematoriums and clinics for pets, the BMC has received an overwhelming response from corporate firms who are willing to fund procurement of modern technologies in these clinics for pets, he confirmed.

Expressing his concerns over the sad state of civic schools, Mehta said, “Education is the poor man’s passport to a different life. There is an urgent to improve the quality of education we give in our schools. Every year, we are spending Rs2,800 crore on schools, however, schools are shutting down.”