BMC budget 2021-2022: Civic body's BEST bailout continues

In its continuing efforts to keep the lossmaking BEST afloat the BMC has set aside Rs 750 crore to improve operations of the red bus undertaking It will also pay half a crore each to the kin of those BEST staffers who lost their lives while on duty due to COVID As it unveiled the budget for financial 202122 the civic body said it will engage an international consultant to achieve operational efficiency in the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and TransportAhead of last municipal elections the Shiv Sena had talked of merging the BEST with the corporation With a year to go for the next civic polls sources said the promise will mostly remain unfulfilled The BMC has so far doled out grants of R3200 crore to the BEST excluding the latest financial support announced on WednesdayDuring his budget speech BMC Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said ldquoTaking into consideration the request of BEST Undertaking sympathetically it is proposed to give financial assistance of R50 lakh to the family of each deceased employee of BEST Undertaking in case of death due to Covid19 while discharging dutyrdquoThe corporation has promised to clear the longpending Gratuity dues of 3649 employees of the bus undertaking by way of a loan of R406 crore at ldquovery nominal interest raterdquo said ChahalJust a numbers game says oppositiongtgt lsquoIt is a comprehensive budget It emphasises on development of basic infrastructure along with education health and beautification of the city The issue of property tax for small houses was a fault of the earlier CM which we are rectifyingrsquondash Kishori Pednekar Mayorgtgt lsquoThe budget is a relief for Mumbaikars Despite the financial loss due to Corona the budget does not propose any hike in taxes but the opposition parties are still opposing itrsquo Yashwant Jadhav Standing Committee chairmangtgt lsquoThis budget is depressing There is nothing new in this Itrsquos all a number game There is no policy on how to increase revenuersquo ndash Ravi Raja Leader of the Oppositiongtgt lsquoThis is a fraudulent budget that shows Mumbaikars dreams of development But the question is where will the money come from Revenue decreased by R6000 crore in 202021rsquo ndash Prabhakar Shinde group leader BJPgtgt lsquoThe administration has failed to meet the revenue estimates on all fronts Even after the pandemic spending on health care has reducedrsquondash Rakhi Jadhav group leader NCPgtgt lsquoThis budget will facilitate only the rich It has nothing to do with the poor people Despite the lessons learnt from the pandemic the corporation has disregarded health carersquo ndash Rais Shaikh group leader Samajwadi PartyRelief for project affected peopleThe BMC has announced that project affected people or PAPs unwilling to relocate to far away tenements could get monetary compensation to speed up completion of projects A token provision of Rs 100 crore has been kept in this budget towards this objective A policy would be framed for thisMalad split city to have 25 wardsThe BMC will now have 25 wards instead of 24 from financial year 20212022 with bifurcation of P North ward considering its huge population and vast geographical area The new wards will be called P East covering Malad East and P West which will have jurisdiction over Malad West A plan to split more large wards is also on the cardsRs 50LRelief for kin of each BEST staffer died during COVID duty