Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Mayor Malti Rai presented interim budget of Rs 80887.48 lakh for next 3 months amidst ruckus created by Congress corporators at the municipal council meeting held on Saturday. BJP corporators cornered their own party during interim budget session.
Mayor Malti Rai refused to reply in House on issue of public interest raised by Congress corporator on the status of firecracker shops in Bhopal in wake of blast at firecrackers factory in Harda. She said she would submit reply in writing. The BJP coporator Devendra Bhargava from ward 12 cornered his own party as he raised Employees' Provident Fund (EPF) scam.
Earlier, Bharagava had cornered BJP over corruption in construction of certain buildings at the municipal council meeting held in July 2023. “BMC deducted EPF at rate of 12.5 per cent. Rs 20 crore was deducted but BMC did not deposit this share of Rs 20 crore. As a result, EPF commissioner slapped penalty of Rs 21 crore,” Devendra Bharat said. He added, “EPF has not been deposited from 2016 to 2020.
FP Photo
BMC deducted it but did not deposit the share. So a case of breach of trust should be registered against BMC administration as it is related to employees.” MiC member Jitendra Shukla blamed BMC’s poor financial condition for not depositing the EPF share. To this, Bharagava said, “BMC paid Rs 147 crore to contractors and suppliers in advance.
Earlier, it paid Rs 234 crore in advance. So, on one hand, it is paying in advance and on the other hand, it is not depositing EPF share.” As the controversy kicked off, BMC chairman Kishan Suryavanshi announced to constitute a joint committee comprising Devendra Bharagava, Mayor-in-Council (account) member Jitendra Shukla, Leader of Opposition Shabista Zaki. Later, mayor Malti Rai handed over the investigation to municipal commissioner Noble Frank A.
Interim budget of Rs 80887.48 lakh for next 3 months
Allocation Head
* Rs 8899.48 lakh GAD
* Rs 749.26 lakh Public Relations
* Rs3261.43 lakh Central Workshop
* Rs 617.54 lakh Planning
* Rs 16951.61 lakh Public Works
* Rs 4612.89 lakh Public lighting
* Rs360.56 lakh Traffic signals
* Rs 861.1 lakh Health
* Rs 7614.1 lakh Sanitation, solid waste
* Rs 7962.97 lakh Water supply
* Rs 1264.02 Lakh Civic amenities
* Rs 1296.71 lakh Sewage
* Rs 2750 lakh Municipal market
* Rs 2106.91 Forestry, Garden
* Rs 147.5 lakh Poverty alleviation
* Rs 1415.9 lakh ADB other functions
* Rs 10000 lakh HFA
* Rs 6268.75 Revenue
Ayodhya tour
BMC chairman Kishan Suryavanshi said all the municipal council members would be taken to Ayodhya for visit to Lord Ram’s temple. He also announced visit to Ujjain Municipal Corporation for study. There are 85 corporators and 6 aldermen.
Corporators create ruckus
Congress corporators created ruckus in House and trooped into well of the House sporting black badges over interim budget demanding to know why interim budget was presented. It should have been a full-fledged budget, they said.
Mayor’s explanation
Mayor Malti Rai said Congress corporators raised finger on degree of veterinarian. “They call him murgi wala (poultry) doctor. But as MBBS degree holder is a doctor so is a veterinarian. We have appointed a veterinary surgeon for dogs’ sterilisation. We have three Animal Birth Control centres with present capacity of 100 each. We have to double it,” she added.
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