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Rediff.com  » News » Pay Rs 1000 to keep laptop worth Rs 35K: BMC's 'offer' to corporators

Pay Rs 1000 to keep laptop worth Rs 35K: BMC's 'offer' to corporators

Source: PTI
January 19, 2017 19:42 IST
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The Mumbai civic administration has given the outgoing city corporators an option of keeping with themselves laptops, each costing Rs 35,000 and distributed upon their election, by paying a nominal fee of Rs 1,000.

Most of the corporators are preferring to keep the portable personal computers by paying the small amount to the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, said a senior civic official.

The civic administration had earlier asked the city elders to return the laptops with a choice to retain them if they are willing to pay Rs 1,000.

A year after their election in 2012, each civic representative was given a laptop worth Rs 35,000 and a smartphone along with SIM card by the BMC so that they can keep a tab on various public works in their wards.

The 227-member BMC, India's richest civic body currently ruled by the Shiv Sena-BJP combine, will go to the polls on February 21.

"After the code of conduct came into the effect, we asked the Councillors to hand over the laptops given to them. We also gave them an option that if they want to keep the laptops with them, they need to pay Rs 1,000 to the BMC," said Municipal Secretary Narayan Pathade.

He, however, insisted corporates would have to return the SIM cards before they are issued no dues certificates.

After the 2007 municipal polls, there were demands by the elected representatives that they be given laptops. A proposal in this regard was passed in the Standing Committee, a power body within the BMC, and it was accepted by the administration.

In the subsequent election, corporators were given cellphones and SIM cards also, with the civic body agreeing to pay a monthly bill of Rs 1,250.

Pathade said, "The process of returning SIM cards and laptops are underway. Most of the councillors are preferring to keep the laptops with them by paying a fee of Rs 1,000."

Another senior civic official said each corporator has to return the laptops, SIM cards and smartphones to the BMC.

"However, this year we decided not to take back the mobile phones and give them an option to keep the laptops."

Asked how much money did BMC spend on the phone bills of the corporators in current House, Pathade said, "It is a voluminous data that is being worked out."

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