Nagpur: Former School Education Minister Adv Ashish Shelar on Wednesday alleged a massive Rs 299 crore scam in road works in the Shiv Sena ruled Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Taking part in the motion of thanks in the legislative assembly on the Governors address to both the houses earlier this month, Shelar contended that contracts worth Rs 836 crore were issued for 415 road works which were 40 percent above the standard rate. He further claimed that the government had stopped the grant for the “Sarathi” institute which was set up for upliftment of Maratha and Kunbi communities. Shelar alleged that the government was trying to shut down the institute altogether.
In the Governor’s address, there is this issue of giving justice to the people of all communities. However, he pointed out by issuing a Government Resolution (GR) on December 3, that the government had decided to virtually close Sarathi institute which was set up for overall development after the Maratha and Kunbi Samaj. The institute was set up following the Maratha community march during the BJP government tenure. The institute will no longer be paid any grants meant for the welfare of these two communities, he added.
Claiming to unravel a recent scam during this government, Shelar said that Rs 862 crore tenders issued by BMC for the work of 415 roads in Mumbai but was withdrawn and contracts for 290 roads were to be given at approximately Rs 836 crore, which is 40 percent.
He said that Priyanka Gupta, a 32-year-old woman from Ulhasnagar who ran an juice center till late at night, the police arrested her husband and demanded a fine of Rs 20,000. In order to draw attention and seek justice, Priyanka Gupta recently had to jump from the fourth floor of Mantralaya.
