Mumbai: Opposition corporators protest ‘illegal’ allocation of funds

On Friday, the Shiv Sena-led Standing Committee tabled a proposal to transfer Rs 1 crore fund allocated in budget for giving sewing machines to poor women to a newly-created fund for giving laptops, tabs for poor kids. According to the proposal, the fund transfer is being done only for ward number 209 (Mazgaon), where Jadhav is a corporator. Opposition corporators alleged that though they wanted to discuss the matter, Jadhav did not allow them and passed the proposal.

However, opposition leader Ravi Raja has taken the point of order against the move, alleging that the Sena was “illegally diverting the funds to lure residents in his (Jadhav’s) constituency by offering laptops and tabs just before the assembly elections”.

“The Standing Committee is illegally diverting funds. Also, if it is legal and he is doing for his ward, then it should be allowed in all wards. Why is this discrimination?” questioned Raja.

Samajwadi Party corporator Rais Shaikh slammed the PMC administration “for its double standard and favouring a corporator from the ruling party”. “This fund transfer is illegal and it will certainly affect the main beneficiary for whom it was created. There should be a uniform policy on this and every other corporator should have such freedom,” said Shaikh.

Jadhav, who is holding the Standing Committee chairman’s post for the last two years, denied the allegations. “The fund transfer is legal and the laptops and tabs are there in BMC’s official scheduled, which means in place of sewing machines we can give these items to poor and needy students. Also, if any corporator is willing to transfer the fund for other welfare items we can pass the proposal in Standing Committee,” he said.