Bhopal: BMC Demands Special Fund For City's Development In Line With State Capital Status

BHOPAL (Madhya Pradesh): The BMC has demanded a special fund from the state government to develop Bhopal to match the standards and status of a state capital.

BJP corporator Surendra Wadika said an additional Rs 1000 crore should be demanded for Bhopal's development as the existing budgetary provision is inadequate. Development should be made as per the standard and status of State capital where Governor, CM, ministers, bureaucrats reside. The city houses professional educational institutes and so the development should be in line with the city's state capital stature.

No 'Ek Desh-Do Vidhan': MiC member

MiC member Ravindra Yati said, 'We do not like and will not allow 'Ek Desh-Do Vidhan' (one country and two systems). In our wards, we work hard to ensure that property tax collection reaches up to Rs 40 crore but in Old Bhopal, the collection hardly touches Rs 4 crore. Corporators from such wards do not have right to demand hike in corporator discretionary fund from Rs 25 lakh to Rs 50 lakh.'

Ruckus over non-payment to contractors

Congress corporator Mohammed Sarver and MiC member Sanjay Shukla exchanged heated words over non-payment to contractors. The Congress corporator alleged that payments to the big firms have been cleared but the small time contractors have to struggle to get their payment released. Shulka took exception to Sarver's allegation that the small-time contractors have to shell out 5% to 10% commission to get their payment released. The MiC chairman Kishan Suryavanshi interrupted saying that no allegations against any officer should be made without having proof.

Rs 711 cr lapsed: LoP

Leader of Opposition Shabista Zaki said termed the budget a copy of the previous budget. She said that Rs 711 crore from previous budget lapsed because of the laxity of the BMC administration. Funds allocation made for parks, swachh Bharat Mission, slum shifting and rehabilitation, fish-meat market and others heads have lapsed.