Pune PMC News | Crores in Donations Gather Dust: Pune Municipal Corporation Faces Criticism for Not Utilizing Covid-19 Funds
Pune : Pune PMC News | The Municipal Corporation of a city is facing criticism and scrutiny after it was revealed that a donation of approx Rs. 7 crores, made by various companies and citizens during the Covid-19 crisis, has remained unutilized. Non-governmental organizations in the city have raised concerns over the inaction of the Municipal Corporation and have urged the Municipal Commissioner, Administrator Vikram Kumar, to allocate these funds for the purchase of much-needed machinery for municipal hospitals and clinics.
In response to the appeal made by the Municipal Corporation in March 2020, generous donations totaling Rs. 4 crore 89 lakh were received in 2020-21, followed by an additional Rs. 3 crore 10 lakh in 2021-22. Shockingly, not a single rupee was spent from these funds in 2020-21. It was only in the subsequent year that Rs. 1 crore 30 lakh was utilized for theprocurement of cots and ventilator facilities.
Vivek Velankar, President of Sajjan Nagarik Mancha, discovered this information through documents obtained on a Right to Information Day. It has also been revealed that the Municipal Corporation has earned an interest of Rs. 54 lakh on the remaining balance.
The revelation of the unspent funds has sparked outrage among citizens, who had generously contributed during the pandemic. They express frustration towards the Municipal Corporation for their impudent handling of the donated funds. Such inaction raises concerns about the accountability and transparency of the Municipal Corporation in managing public resources.
Furthermore, citizens are worried that the reluctance to utilize the donated amount will discourage future donations during times of crisis. The funds were specifically intended for the purchase of equipment for municipal hospitals and clinics, yet the health department has reportedly decided to allocate a significant portion of the funds to procure equipment for a private hospital.
Vivek Velankar has urged the Municipal Commissioner and Administrator Vikram Kumar to immediately address this issue and ensure that the donated funds are directed towards the purchase of essential equipment for the benefit of the public.
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