State directs CSMC to be on-your-own

Lokmat News Network

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:

In an administrative development, the State Government has issued a letter directing the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Municipal Corporation (CSMC) to put in its share of

Rs 822 crore in the new water supply scheme on Tuesday. The letter clarifies that it would not be extending any financial support for the implementation of the water project of Rs 2740 crore, therefore, it has to raise its funds on its own. Meanwhile, it is feared that the project is likely to be stalled for want of funds as the municipal corporation is already running into financial crisis for the past many years.

The project has been included under Central Government’s AMRUT 2.0 Mission in October 2021. Accordingly, it was expected that the Centre will release 25 percent funds (Rs 685.19 crore); the state government will put in 45 percent (Rs 1233.34 crore) and remaining 30 pc (Rs 822.22 crore) will be contributed by the CSMC.

Earlier, the political leaders had publicly announced that the state government would put in the share of CSMC. The High Court also orally directed the state to put in the share of CSMC in the water project.

The letter duly signed by the desk officer Gajanan Alewad clearly states that the CSMC will not be getting any aid for the project. Instead it suggested raising the share from the 15th Finance Commission; GST Share and its self-income.

Rs 981 crore received so far

The Centre and the State Governments have jointly released an aid of Rs 981.65 crore for the new water scheme, so far. A sum of Rs 937 crore more is expected to be received from them. The core issue is of raising Rs 822 crore share. The CSMC is already debt-ridden as it had previously obtained a loan of Rs 250 crore to put its share in the Smart City Mission.

It may be noted that the newspaper had already published the news hinting that the CSMC will have to raise its own funds for the implementation of the water project on January 6.