Mumbai: Sena-UBT seeks equal allocation of development funds

Mumbai: Shiv Sena-UBT's former corporators, led by group leader Vishakha Raut, on Thursday met BMC Commissioner Dr Iqbal Singh Chahal in BMC headquarter and submitted a letter demanding equal distribution of basic civic amenities and development funds.

Furious over favouring BJP corporators, Shiv Sena-UBT leaders have decided a Sena-style reply if their demands are not met. The letter alleged that in the Civic budget for the financial year 2023-24, the Commissioner has made provisions of Rs 3 crore each to BJP corporators' wards for the development work while the Sena Corporators' ward got only Rs1 crore allocation.

Raut told FPJ, “We brought the issue to the notice of the commissioner who assured us to look into it. We will also wait for a few more days and will give him a proper response. As an administrator, he should be fair to everyone. If we get such a small portion of funds, how development work in all 90 Sena wards will be completed?” Raut questioned. Vishwanath Mahadeshwar, former Mayor and former Shiv Sena corporator, said, “Administration was saying BJP group leader in BMC Prabhakar Shinde had sent several letters to them for funds to complete various civic works, therefore Rs3 crore has been allocated to BJP coprorators' wards. But I also sent several letters to the Commissioner seeking funds for the development work in my area. Commissioner should fair to us, otherwise, we will go to the court and bring stay on the allocation of fund so BJP will also not get any fund.”While condemning the act of the Commissioner over the unequal distribution of funds, Ravi Raja, former group leader of Congress said, “I condemn the uneven distribution of corporators' funds. The Commissioner has no right to distribute funds as his own. It is against law.”

BMC in its budget proposed Rs650 crore for the corporators' wards wherein Rs3 crore each for providing civic amenities in 77 BJP corporators wards and for 2 nominated ex-corporators of BJP. So, BJP gets Rs231 crore, and Rs150 crore will be kept reserved for the 150 non-BJP corporators and Rs14 crore for the 10 nominated corporators of all parties. Apart from that, Rs142 crore have been reserved for all 227 corporators.