The Indian Express 18.06.2013
Mayors revv up for a ‘costly car seva’ as state govt unfolds bonanza
that has directed civic bodies to ensure that the first citizens get a
brand new car worth Rs 15 lakh at their disposal. The state Urban
Development Department issued a government resolution to this effect
late last month.
Pune Municipal Commissioner Uday Tekale on Monday confirmed
receiving such a directive from the state government. “I have seen a
copy of the government directive. It stipulates that the mayor should
get a car worth Rs 15 lakh,” Tekale said, adding that they are still
studying the order which has defined various parameters for the
purchase.
The first to benefit will be the mayor of Pimpri-Chinchwad as the
standing committee of the PCMC last week already approved the new car
plan for the mayor. The decision has also been approved by Municipal
Commissioner Shrikar Pardeshi. When contacted, Pardeshi said, “The mayor
has already sought a Corolla Altis, the price of which is around Rs
14.5 lakh. Our earlier ceiling for the mayor’s car was Rs 7.5 lakh. This
will now be hiked,” Pardeshi said.
Welcoming the decision, Pimpri-Chinchwad Mayor Mohini Lande said
the government had acted on its own. “We had not placed any such
demand,” she said. Asked whether she would mind using a costly car,
Lande said, “I have been using a car which is nearly 80 years old and is
not in good condition. If PCMC buys a new car for me, I won’t mind as
it would ensure safer travel for me,” she said.
The government decision will put, what activists describe as
costly “car seva”, at the disposal of mayors of 23 municipal
corporations, 228 municipal councils and panchayats. According to the
directive, mayors of A, B, C category civic bodies will get cars worth
Rs 15 lakh. Mayors of “D” category civic bodies and council chiefs of of
civic bodies that fall under “A” category will get cars worth Rs 10
lakh instead of Rs 6 lakh. Similarly, council chiefs of “B and “C” civic
bodies will get cars worth Rs 5 lakh instead of Rs 9 lakh.
In 2008, the state government had set a limit of Rs 5 lakh for cars
for mayors and council chiefs. In 2011, this amount was raised to Rs 7.5
lakh. This has now been raised to Rs 15 lakh.
Slamming the government decision, Maruti Bhapkar of Aam Aadmi
Party said, “When lakhs of people, including farmers, in the state are
struggling to make both ends meet, such a costly ‘car seva’ is
unwarranted. Using taxpayers’ honest money for mayor’s benefit is
nothing but outright cheating.” Bhapkar said PCMC chief should verify
the condition of the current mayor’s car before thinking of a new one.
Civic activist Vijay Kumbhar said in today’s circumstances a car
worth Rs 15 lakh for a city mayor should not be turned into a prestige
issue. “But, yes, there shouldn’t be a new car every time a mayor
changes. Besides, mayors should ensure that the car remains in good
condition and is used only for official purposes and not for personal
use,” he said.
Former Pune divisional commissioner Dilip Band too said there was
nothing wrong in putting a better car at the disposal of mayors. “It
gives comfort and the fuel average of a such cars is always better than
less-priced ones,” he said.
