Mumbai: BMC has spent more than RS 3,000 Crore in Mumbai fight against Covid-19 since 2020, data has shown.
In the past seven months, BMC spent Rs.1,219.50 Crore.
In the last financial year, RS 1,809.95 Crore was spent.
While no solving corporator expenditure has repeatedly demanded that the civil body come out with white paper based on the costs carried out during Covid-19, especially because most of the proposals submitted before the Legal Committee will be passed without much discussion during the peak of the first and second waves, because there is pandemic.
Corporator BJP nominated by Bhalchandra Shirsat, who is also a party spokesperson, said BMC must come out with a break-up Ward-Wise at Covid costs.
“Many Covid-related purchases are made by BMC at increased costs, so there is a need for white paper detailing costs,” Shirsat said.
The opposition party leader Ravi Raja stressed that now with a meeting of legal committees such as the Committee in BMC took place physically, it was the right time for the Civic body to come out with white paper.
“BMC receives a lot of funds through CSR during a pandemic, which also needs to be accounted for.
The cost of Rs 3,000 Crore-Plus is finally a taxpayer money and therefore breaking up must be included in the public domain,” he said.
Civil officials said in the early months the maximum shopping Covid-19 was made to prepare Covid-19 health infrastructure, especially field hospitals, providing food to patients at this facility, food package distribution, expenses for frontline staff accommodation, along with recruiting staff based on the contract.
“Following the national locking in March 2020, BMC has also begun to send lakh food packages every day for beggars, stranded workers and migrants throughout the city,” said an official, adding that other costs made were personal protective equipment such as medical equipment (PPE PPE ) Kit, N95 mask, 3-ply mask, gloves, face shield, hydroxychloroquine, thermometer, body bag, protective eye use and cleanser, followed by injection purchases, including remdesivir and tovilizumab.
Vinod Mishra (BJP) said funds for work like the road was diverted on behalf of Covid.
“Expenditures tend to be more as they use funds from other departments on behalf of Covid,” he said.