Nagpur: Even as the cash-strapped Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) struggles to fund basic civic works, a fresh proposal to spend nearly Rs 60 lakh annually on hiring private taxis for nine subject committee chairpersons has triggered a political row, with the move being widely seen as a concession to the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).According to a proposal prepared by the civic body’s general administration department, the NMC plans to hire nine private vehicles for chairpersons of key subject committees — education, health, taxation, water supply and law. These vehicles will be available for 24 to 25 days a month and can be used for up to 10 hours daily on working days. If the usage exceeds 10 hours, the corporation will have to pay Rs100 per extra hour, while the monthly running limit of 1,800 km will attract additional charges of Rs10 per km if exceeded. The proposal will be submitted before the standing committee headed by chairperson Shivani Dani Wakhare soon.Officials estimate the monthly expenditure at nearly Rs5 lakh, taking the total annual burden to about Rs60 lakh. If implemented for five years, the proposal could cost the civic body close to Rs3 crore — at a time when the corporation is already battling a severe financial crunch and struggling to meet essential civic commitments.The move has assumed political significance because, under the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations Act, 1949, subject committees are specialised panels meant to assist the corporation in managing functions such as public health, education and civic development. However, chairpersons of these committees are not entitled to official vehicles as per the existing rules.Despite this, the civic administration is reportedly moving ahead with the plan following pressure from the ruling BJP, sources said. A senior BJP leader, requesting anonymity, admitted that the chairpersons are not entitled to vehicles, but they have been insisting on official transport to enable field visits related to their respective departments.The proposal has also come at a politically sensitive time. The civic administration has already faced public criticism for spending crores of rupees on renovation works and ceremonial expenses related to the swearing-in of the mayor, deputy mayor and heads of key committees without any tender. Opposition voices within the civic body have begun questioning the priorities of the ruling dispensation, arguing that public money is being spent on “comfort and prestige” rather than basic infrastructure and civic services.With the corporation still struggling to repair pothole-ridden roads, improve sanitation and address water supply complaints, the plan to spend Rs60 lakh annually on taxis is likely to intensify political tensions in the coming days. The proposal is expected to be discussed in upcoming meetings, where it could trigger a fresh confrontation between the ruling BJP and opposition members over what they call “misplaced priorities” amid a deepening financial crisis.
