The Hindu 20.11.2009
PCMC chief prunes school board draft budget
PUNE: Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal commissioner Ashish Sharma has suggested a reduction of Rs 6.71 crore in the draft annual budget of the civic school board for 2010-11. The standing committee has approved the draft budget after effecting the changes suggested by Sharma.
Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, school board chairman Arjun Thakre claimed that the board had made minimum allocations under various heads in the draft budget, but the municipal commissioner has still reduced the outlay. The school board had drawn up a draft annual budget of Rs 72.33 crore, which was pruned to Rs 65.62 crore by Sharma.
The school board, had expected the PCMC to provide Rs 50.49 crore for the draft budget, which the civic chief reduced to Rs 43.78 crore.
Besides, the school board had proposed an allocation of Rs 40.52 crore for planned administrative expenditure and Rs 60 lakh for non-planned administrative expenses. It had suggested an allocation of Rs 7.28 crore for payment of pension and gratuity and allocated Rs 1.21 crore for office expenditure. The municipal commissioner has not made any changes in these allocations.
The municipal commissioner has reduced the allocation for school expenditure from Rs 18.32 crore to Rs 13.71 crore. Giving details of the cut, Thakre said, "The municipal commissioner has reduced the allocation for purchase of school uniforms from Rs 6.5 crore to Rs 5.5 crore; the allocation for purchase of socks from Rs 1.10 crore to Rs 1 crore; the allocation for purchase of school bags and slates from Rs 1 crore to Rs 90 lakh."
Thakre stated, "The school board intends to give quality uniforms and other materials to the students. The prices of these commodities are increasing, so a hike in the allocation for the purchase of the materials was needed."
"The school board had proposed to set aside Rs 17 lakh for expenditure on other school materials, but the municipal commissioner has not made any allocation for the same. He has also rejected the allocation of Rs 2 crore for the purchase of PT uniforms for students and wants the PT uniforms to be distributed every alternate year," he pointed out.
Thakre further said, "The school board had earmarked Rs 2 crore for English medium schools. But the municipal commissioner has suggested reducing the allocation to only Rs 15 lakh. We will not be able to start new English medium schools if the reduction in allocation is implemented."
The standing committee has approved the draft budget of the school board with a total allocation of Rs 65.62 crore as suggested by the municipal commissioner. The standing committee has sent the draft budget to the civic general body for approval.
Addressing a news conference on Wednesday, school board chairman Arjun Thakre claimed that the board had made minimum allocations under various heads in the draft budget, but the municipal commissioner has still reduced the outlay. The school board had drawn up a draft annual budget of Rs 72.33 crore, which was pruned to Rs 65.62 crore by Sharma.
The school board, had expected the PCMC to provide Rs 50.49 crore for the draft budget, which the civic chief reduced to Rs 43.78 crore.
Besides, the school board had proposed an allocation of Rs 40.52 crore for planned administrative expenditure and Rs 60 lakh for non-planned administrative expenses. It had suggested an allocation of Rs 7.28 crore for payment of pension and gratuity and allocated Rs 1.21 crore for office expenditure. The municipal commissioner has not made any changes in these allocations.
The municipal commissioner has reduced the allocation for school expenditure from Rs 18.32 crore to Rs 13.71 crore. Giving details of the cut, Thakre said, "The municipal commissioner has reduced the allocation for purchase of school uniforms from Rs 6.5 crore to Rs 5.5 crore; the allocation for purchase of socks from Rs 1.10 crore to Rs 1 crore; the allocation for purchase of school bags and slates from Rs 1 crore to Rs 90 lakh."
Thakre stated, "The school board intends to give quality uniforms and other materials to the students. The prices of these commodities are increasing, so a hike in the allocation for the purchase of the materials was needed."
"The school board had proposed to set aside Rs 17 lakh for expenditure on other school materials, but the municipal commissioner has not made any allocation for the same. He has also rejected the allocation of Rs 2 crore for the purchase of PT uniforms for students and wants the PT uniforms to be distributed every alternate year," he pointed out.
Thakre further said, "The school board had earmarked Rs 2 crore for English medium schools. But the municipal commissioner has suggested reducing the allocation to only Rs 15 lakh. We will not be able to start new English medium schools if the reduction in allocation is implemented."
The standing committee has approved the draft budget of the school board with a total allocation of Rs 65.62 crore as suggested by the municipal commissioner. The standing committee has sent the draft budget to the civic general body for approval.
