KDMC budget, sans estimates

MUMBAI, July 22: The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation8217;s KDMC budget doesn8217;t show a deficit, but it is full of deficiencies. Allocations have been made without forming work estimates, projects have been repeated under several workheads, and works with estimates running into lakhs of rupees have been given sums hopelessly inadequate.

The KDMC has allocated a sum of Rs 69 crore for 36 works without working out any estimates for the works. 8220;In their desire to please a few corporators, they8217;ve forgotten that estimates are essential before allocating any amount,8221; said the BJP8217;s Suju Gujar, a standing committee member. The BJP is the opposition party in the KDMC, the Shiv Sena and the Independents forming the ruling alliance. Harishchandra Suryawanshi BJP, another senior corporator said: 8220;While ward no 17 and 22 have been granted Rs 8.40 crore and Rs 1.30 crore respectively, ward no 28 has been merely given Rs 2 lakh,8221; he pointed out. There are other embarrassments as well. There are 538 works forwhich the estimate is between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 1 crore, but only Rs 1,000 have been allocated for each of these works. Apart from this, at least 90 works find repeated mention in the Rs 220.67 crore KDMC budget under various heads and have also been granted funds variously.

For example, work no 9 on page 423 has been allocated a sum of Rs 4.87 lakh under the building drainage systems head. The same work has been listed work no 8 on page 446, and Rs 5 lakh have been allocated this time. In public works too, a nullah to be built in ward no 60 will be getting Rs 1 lakh out of an estimate of Rs 5.58 lakh on page 302, while the same work has been mentioned under the water supply head on page 416 and allocated Rs 5.58 lakh.Ramesh Mhatre of the Congress, representing ward no 60, agreed there was a case of double allocation. 8220;But even before the budget was presented, I pointed this out to standing committee chairman Vilas Mhatre,8221; he said.

Anil Bhade BJP said the Sena had forgotten Shivshahi8217;s promise ofschools. 8220;The KDMC8217;s school number 81 has been declared an endangered building and is being pulled down,8221; he informed. A urinal to be built in the standing committee chairman8217;s ward has been allocated Rs 5 crore, while 3 swimming pools have been given Rs 1.55 crore. But only Rs 1,000 has been set aside for the school8217;s reconstruction. KDMC mayor Sharayu Pradhan brushed off the matter, saying, 8220;The BJP is the opposition party, so it8217;s creating trouble.8221;