Congress accuses BJP of draining MBMC funds

Mumbai: The Congress-led opposition in the Mira-Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) has fired a fresh salvo at the BJP governance for hatching a ploy to drain the civic funds by illegally outsourcing the Geographical Information System (GIS) - satellite based technology for mapping and survey of properties in the twin-city.

Congress and Shiv Sena members protested in the standing committee meeting on Monday. To bring more properties into the tax bracket, the MBMC, which plans to spend, has shortlisted an agency which will charge Rs 545 per property for the Rs 27.60 crore work envisaging numbering, physical survey, measurements, capturing photographs, GIS mapping, and calculating payable tax on rateable and capital value taxation method. This is apart from an additional charge of Rs 145 per property for maintenance, printing- distribution of bills.

“Despite clear directions that the onus of mapping properties rests on the shoulders of designated government agencies, the MBMC seems adamant on doing it on its own. It’s a pro-contractor move which stinks of a scam,” alleged Congress corporator Jubeir Inaamdar.

Refuting the charges, standing committee chairman, Ravi Vyas, said. “GIS mapping will bring more properties in the tax net, thus enhancing revenue generation. It’s a single time investment which is bound to reap benefits every year. All needed nods have been procured.”