Madhya Pradesh: Scam In Grants Given To Buy Buses For Jabalpur, Bhopal, Says Jaivardhan

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Congress legislator Jaivardhan Singh has said in the House that there were irregularities in the grants given for buying buses for Bhopal and Jabalpur to boost mobility. Singh raised the issue during the question hour in the House on Thursday.

Singh said more grants had been given for buying fewer buses under the provisions of viability gap funding (VGF).

In reply to the question, Urban Development Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya announced that he would ask the Principal Secretary to probe the case.

One bus costs Rs 25 lakh, and 40% of amount had to be released from the BGF, and the contractor had to buy 450 buses, but he bought only 150, Singh said.

Afterwards, the Bhopal City Link Limited called a meeting and granted Rs 5 crore as annual budget for running the buses.

Similarly, a sum of Rs 2 crore was sanctioned to run the buses in Jabalpur, Singh said, adding that at a time when the contractor is unable to provide buses according to requirements, the government is spending Rs 7 crore every year for their running and maintenance.

Vijayvargiya also said fewer buses were purchased because of shortage of passengers in Bhopal and Jabalpur.

Illegal colonies to get infrastructure

Urban Development Kailash Vijayvargiya said that strict laws would be made to stop illegal colonies.

He made the statement in reply to a question in the House. There are problems of illegal colonies in the state, the minister said, adding that the law will be prepared in two months.

Nevertheless, permission will be given for infrastructure in the colonies and for building houses to provide facilities to citizens.

The government will mull over declaring unauthorised colonies legal, he said.