Push start: BMC and BEST to merge budgets

  • | Friday | 17th May, 2019

One of the first decisions taken by the new civic chief, Praveen Pardeshi, is a strategic one: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), parent body of the loss-making Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking, has decided to merge both budgets and even give BEST a monthly grant. Until then, BMC will grant Rs 100 crore to BEST each month, starting June," said Mayor V Mahadeshwar, after a high-level meeting chaired by him on Thursday. BEST has been struggling to pay the salaries of its 35,000-odd employees, amounting to an average of Rs 184 crore every month. BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti (BSKKS) had gone on a nine-day strike in January, demanding changes that would cost the undertaking an additional Rs 900 crore. "This is a good step, but the amount of the grant is too little," said Ravi Raja, BEST member and Leader of Opposition.

One of the first decisions taken by the new civic chief, Praveen Pardeshi, is a strategic one: Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), parent body of the loss-making Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking, has decided to merge both budgets and even give BEST a monthly grant. "The merger will take at least seven to eight months. Until then, BMC will grant Rs 100 crore to BEST each month, starting June," said Mayor V Mahadeshwar, after a high-level meeting chaired by him on Thursday. Former civic chief Ajoy Mehta, who is now state Chief Secretary, was against BEST's financial restructuring until certain measures were adopted. Pardeshi seems to have broken this deadlock. BEST Sanyukt Kamgar Kruti Samiti (BSKKS) had gone on a nine-day strike in January, demanding changes that would cost the undertaking an additional Rs 900 crore. One of the demands was merger of the two budgets. However, the decision has not met with an applause from all quarters. "This is a good step, but the amount of the grant is too little," said Ravi Raja, BEST member and Leader of Opposition. BEST has been struggling to pay the salaries of its 35,000-odd employees, amounting to an average of Rs 184 crore every month. They have been taking loans from banks and financial institutions to cover them and also for fleet maintenance. "We have not been told anything officially yet, and cannot comment. However, it is the municipal corporation's responsibility to run BEST," said Shashank Rao, BSKKS president. "This is a good step. Now the money needs to be spent not just on salaries, but also to improve infrastructure such as depots and buses," said Vidyadhar Date, convener of Aamchi Mumbai, Aamchi BEST, a citizens forum. FIRST GEAR

If You Like This Story, Support NYOOOZ

NYOOOZ SUPPORTER

NYOOOZ FRIEND

Your support to NYOOOZ will help us to continue create and publish news for and from smaller cities, which also need equal voice as much as citizens living in bigger cities have through mainstream media organizations.


Stay updated with all the Mumbai Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.

Related Articles