BELAGAVI: The Belagavi City Corporation (BCC), renowned for its financial discipline, is reportedly in the midst of a significant financial crisis. The situation has arisen due to errors made by former officials during their administrative tenure. It is anticipated that the BCC will need to pay over Rs 100 crore in compensation to landowners.
In 2019, the BCC acquired approximately 25 gunta of land in Shahapur without following the proper procedures. This land was intended for a road under the Smart City Project.
In the case of road widening under the Smart City scheme, from Bank of India to Old Pune-Bengaluru Road in Shahpur, the corporation officials have been permitted to take up the work without obtaining the permission of the concerned landowners. The property owner who lost the land approached the high court and sought justice. The court directed the BCC to deposit Rs 20 crore in the account of the land acquisition officer. The officials’ mistake has now taken a political turn and raised a storm.
According to the officials of the BCC, the corporation receives an income of Rs 60-65 crore annually in the form of various taxes. As the govt has cut the salary subsidy allocation by 15%, the corporation has a deficit of Rs 40 crore. Twenty percent of the grant is being paid to Indira canteens. There are currently Rs 39.9 rupees in the account. A ward-wise action plan has already been prepared for the work costing Rs 9.3 crore. If Rs 8.8 crore is deducted as the expenditure of BCC, only Rs 1.7 crore will remain. In the budget, a grant reserve of Rs 10 crore was kept for the development of the 58 wards. Santosh, a resident of Shahunagar, said that at present the roads are damaged due to rain. Only politically motivated issues are being discussed in BCC meetings rather than the development of the wards.
Satish Jarkiholi, the district minister, said that the corporation officials committed a mistake in the land acquisition process. The officials involved should be punished. The BCC should solve the problems and undertake development works.
Laxmi Hebbalkar, the minister for women and child welfare department, said that due to the hidden agenda of a few persons, the BCC is facing a financial crisis. If we work together, the city will develop. MLA Asif Sait said that he did not agree with the decision taken in the corporation in the wake of the high court’s directive to deposit 20 crore. This will set back the development of the city.
