Revenue hit by Covid outbreak, PMC curbs expenditure, says no new projects this year

With the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the economy, the PMC estimates that it will only be able to collect 33 per cent of its total estimated revenue this year.

Sterifume treatment progressing at APMC market as a precautionary measure against corona virus in Navi Mumbai.

The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has directed all civic departments to review ongoing schemes and projects, undertake no new construction and explore if some projects can be postponed or suspended.

With the coronavirus pandemic and its impact on the economy, the PMC estimates that it will only be able to collect 33 per cent of its total estimated revenue this year. So, the state government has instructed the civic body to take the necessary steps to prioritise expenditure, said Municipal Commissioner Shekhar Gaikwad. “Accordingly, planning for expenditure has to be done with priority to salaries, pension and meal schemes,” he said, adding that the money should not be spent on any new work in this financial year. Only medicines and medical equipment can be purchased from available funds, he added.

On Thursday, Gaikwad directed all civic departments to check expenditure on infrastructure projects and take his permission before issuing tenders for any work. “The heads of all civic departments and in-charges of ward offices have to take my permission before issuing tender or seeking quotation for any civic work,” he said. If the tender process of any project has already been done, then the work order should be issued only after his written approval, Gaikwad added.

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A committee will scrutinise the civic work proposals of various departments and give its opinion on the need to take those works, he said.

Since some civic works scheduled in 2019-20 could not be completed before the end of the financial year on March 31 due to the coronavirus outbreak, the PMC standing committee has also given extension for paying for them till May 30, Gaikwad added. So, the civic departments should get the approved work completed by May 25 and submit the bills by May 30, he said.

Spending on any purchase or furniture repair, Xerox machine, computers or seminars has been prohibited, he added.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, Pune. He writes on Infrastructure, Politics, Civic issues, Sustainable Development and related stuff. He is a trekker and a sports enthusiast. Ajay has written research articles on the Conservancy staff that created a nationwide impact in framing policy to improve the condition of workers handling waste. Ajay has been consistently writing on politics and infrastructure. He brought to light the lack of basic infrastructure of school and hospital in the hometown of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde even as two private helipads were developed by the leader who mostly commutes from Mumbai to Satara in helicopter. Ajay has been reporting on sustainable development initiatives that protects the environment while ensuring infrastructure development. ... Read More

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