BANGALORE:The cash-strapped Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has not only cut down medical relief fund allotted to Mayor and councillors, but is yet to release the money even though the financial year will come to an end in a month’s time.
In the 2011-12 budget, BBMP had allotted Rs 5 crore for Mayor’s medical relief grants. Also there was a provision for Rs 8 crore for Councillor’s medical relief grants, through which each councillor would get Rs 4 lakh. However, the Mayor’s medical relief grant was reduced to Rs 4 crore in one of the council meetings.
Sources from BBMP said that they have received nearly 2,500 applications seeking grants from Mayor’s relief fund but only 30 per cent of them have been cleared. Sharadamma said only Rs 2.5 crore was released from the allotted funds, which has however, not reached the beneficiaries. “Our officers are preparing cheques and the grants will reach the beneficiaries soon,” she assured.
Sources from BBMP said that Mayor had diverted most of the fund to “developmental works,” and there was no fund in the account. Not only the Mayor medical relief fund, even the councillor grants of `4 lakh has not been dispatched.