The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has approved a record allocation of Rs 250 crore for the mayor’s development fund during its general body meeting held on Friday, marking the highest-ever provision made under the fund in the civic body’s history.
Traditionally, the mayor’s discretionary development fund ranged between Rs 100 crore and Rs 200 crore. The newly sanctioned amount will be distributed among corporators based on recommendations made by the mayor. Civic officials stated that the enhanced allocation was made possible by diverting funds from several major departments, including road concreting, solid waste management, and bridge-related projects.
Alongside the approval of the capital expenditure budget at the meeting, the civic administration is now expected to begin rolling out allocations for development and infrastructure works across Mumbai. These include sanitation initiatives, ward-level projects, and civic infrastructure improvements. The revenue expenditure component of the civic budget had already received approval last month.
However, the decision comes amid ongoing political controversy linked to an earlier Rs 800 crore development fund approved by the standing committee. The issue had sparked criticism over the alleged uneven allocation of funds among corporators.
According to reports, corporators were initially assigned approximately Rs 2.25 crore each, but some wards allegedly received allocations ranging between Rs 5 crore and Rs 20 crore. The disparity triggered objections from opposition leaders as well as dissatisfaction within sections of the ruling alliance.
Standing committee chairman Prabhakar Shinde and BMC House leader Ganesh Khankar, both belonging to the BJP, reportedly received allocations exceeding Rs 20 crore for their respective wards. In addition, corporators representing wards under BJP MLA Ameet Satam’s constituency were said to have received nearly Rs 6 crore each, intensifying allegations of preferential treatment.
Following the controversy, the allocations were revised. Around Rs 54 crore was reportedly withdrawn from the standing committee’s development fund and redirected towards welfare initiatives, including housing and welfare schemes for sanitation workers.
Officials further stated that allocations to Shinde and Khankar’s wards were reduced by Rs 15 crore each as part of the restructuring process. Additionally, after Satam reportedly sought rationalisation of the distribution, funds allotted to corporators from his constituency were cut by nearly Rs 3.75 crore each, bringing them closer to the standard allocation of Rs 2.25 crore per ward.
Source: The Times of India
