MUMBAI: The Mumbai unit of BJP has sought a probe by a special investigation team (SIT) into the alleged financial misappropriations in BMC brought to the fore by CAG in its recent findings.
“The report submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) into the works executed by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has revealed many shocking facts and exposed corruption to the tune of Rs 8,485 crore. And hence, it is important to disclose who the masterminds are behind this. All these works must be thoroughly investigated under criminal sections through the SIT,” Mumbai BJP president and legislator Ashish Shelar said at a press conference. He put forth this demand to chief minister Eknath Shinde.
Shelar said that through this report, the corruption and the cut commission business in the BMC has been exposed. “I have written a letter to the chief minister in this regard bringing the observations to his notice and also demanded an inquiry through SIT to take these misappropriations to their logical end,” he said.
According to Shelar, CAG has revealed a scam of Rs 12,000 crore in 76 works of nine BMC departments. “This shows the kind of misappropriation of funds rampantly happening in the BMC, all of which was under the observation of the father-son duo,” he said while pointing fingers at Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya.
Shelar said Mumbaikars were made to pay from their pockets.
“The CAG report is for the period November 28, 2019 to October 31, 2022 and it does not include the works undertaken during Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
“There have been allocation of works without floating tenders, works have been awarded in excess of the tendered amount, works have been given without verification of tenders, there have been instances of breach of tender terms and conditions and manipulations of tenders. Also, there have been cases of consolidation of tenders and in certain cases tenders have been awarded to ineligible contractors as well. The report has shown a series of goof-ups in the entire tendering processes. This scam is indeed big and no other government across the country might have made misappropriation of funds to this extent,” he said.
“This is just the tip of an iceberg. This is an inquiry of only a few works. All the works carried out during this period have not been investigated as yet. CAG must thoroughly audit all the other works as well,” he demanded.
“In fact, the BMC awarded 20 works worth Rs 214 crore in two parts without inviting tenders, 64 works worth Rs 4,755 crore were awarded to contractors without signing contracts. There was no arrangement for a third party audit to verify 13 works of 3 different departments worth Rs 3,355 cores awarded to contractors. Thus the report has exposed lack of transparency, negligence, sloppy planning and misappropriation of funds. Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray’s governance has looted Mumbaikars. Their working style is based only on ‘cut, commission and kasai’,” he alleged, pointing out that the corrupt BMC officials had robbed the BMC in the name of SAP system by not implementing certain modules.
“The works on Dr E Moses Road and Keshavrao Khade Marg, both in Aaditya Thackeray’s constituency were awarded to contractors despite the violations made by them in the tender terms and conditions. The contractors were benefited to the tune of Rs 27 crore. Why were they given special treatment? Were they your relatives,” questioned Shelar. “Many works near Parel TT flyover, Mithi River or in Worli and Bandra near Matoshree were awarded without floating tenders and without following guidelines,” he alleged.
“The report submitted by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) into the works executed by Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has revealed many shocking facts and exposed corruption to the tune of Rs 8,485 crore. And hence, it is important to disclose who the masterminds are behind this. All these works must be thoroughly investigated under criminal sections through the SIT,” Mumbai BJP president and legislator Ashish Shelar said at a press conference. He put forth this demand to chief minister Eknath Shinde.
Shelar said that through this report, the corruption and the cut commission business in the BMC has been exposed. “I have written a letter to the chief minister in this regard bringing the observations to his notice and also demanded an inquiry through SIT to take these misappropriations to their logical end,” he said.
According to Shelar, CAG has revealed a scam of Rs 12,000 crore in 76 works of nine BMC departments. “This shows the kind of misappropriation of funds rampantly happening in the BMC, all of which was under the observation of the father-son duo,” he said while pointing fingers at Uddhav Thackeray and his son Aaditya.
Shelar said Mumbaikars were made to pay from their pockets.
“The CAG report is for the period November 28, 2019 to October 31, 2022 and it does not include the works undertaken during Covid-19 pandemic,” he added.
“There have been allocation of works without floating tenders, works have been awarded in excess of the tendered amount, works have been given without verification of tenders, there have been instances of breach of tender terms and conditions and manipulations of tenders. Also, there have been cases of consolidation of tenders and in certain cases tenders have been awarded to ineligible contractors as well. The report has shown a series of goof-ups in the entire tendering processes. This scam is indeed big and no other government across the country might have made misappropriation of funds to this extent,” he said.
“This is just the tip of an iceberg. This is an inquiry of only a few works. All the works carried out during this period have not been investigated as yet. CAG must thoroughly audit all the other works as well,” he demanded.
“In fact, the BMC awarded 20 works worth Rs 214 crore in two parts without inviting tenders, 64 works worth Rs 4,755 crore were awarded to contractors without signing contracts. There was no arrangement for a third party audit to verify 13 works of 3 different departments worth Rs 3,355 cores awarded to contractors. Thus the report has exposed lack of transparency, negligence, sloppy planning and misappropriation of funds. Uddhav Thackeray and Aaditya Thackeray’s governance has looted Mumbaikars. Their working style is based only on ‘cut, commission and kasai’,” he alleged, pointing out that the corrupt BMC officials had robbed the BMC in the name of SAP system by not implementing certain modules.
“The works on Dr E Moses Road and Keshavrao Khade Marg, both in Aaditya Thackeray’s constituency were awarded to contractors despite the violations made by them in the tender terms and conditions. The contractors were benefited to the tune of Rs 27 crore. Why were they given special treatment? Were they your relatives,” questioned Shelar. “Many works near Parel TT flyover, Mithi River or in Worli and Bandra near Matoshree were awarded without floating tenders and without following guidelines,” he alleged.
