Purchase price of public benches inflated: Activists

The purchase of benches that are to be installed at public spaces has put several citizens’ groups in the city on guard. Many activists believe the expenditure of public funds to buy these benches can be reduced by half if the state government’s fresh guidelines to standardise the purchase process are followed.

One citizens’ group wants the civic body to follow the standard rates prescribed on the Union government’s website .As per the website, these benches should cost roughly Rs 4,400 each. Here’s a link to a three-seater bench on the website — /org.gem.gov.in/cart/cart_global/describe_items/568712. But the elected members within the civic body are planning to buy them at cost of around Rs10,000-Rs 13,000 each.
“These inflated rates should not be entertained as the prices will cause a loss of public money. The elected members, across party lines, give orders for procurement at the ward office level. There have been claims that different amounts are being paid for the same type of material. A fixed and standardised procurement process should be introduced to resolve these problems,” said Vivek Velankar, of the citizens’ group Sajag Nagrik Manch.
It was Parivatran, another citizens’ group, that had first brought the matter to light. A study conducted by the group in 2016 had found that out of the 152 elected representatives within the civic body, as many as 140 had used funds to install benches, spending nearly Rs 11 crore.
The Bharatiya Janata Party now plans to introduce a new policy to streamline the initiatives being taken by corporators using public money. The new policy is even set to streamline the procurement process of buckets and bags meant for segregation of household waste. “Standardisation is a must while spending public money. We have given instructions to the officials concerned. We will take steps to make sure that tax-payer money is not misused,” said Mukta Tilak, the mayor of the city.
All this has been necessitated by the growing public ire being faced by the corporators in the city. Citizens have often complained that good-quality roads are being dug up and relaid just to spend funds that have already been allotted in the budget.
Activists have also objected to the buying of buckets and benches. According to the civic officials the buckets are being bought to distribute across slum areas, as part of efforts to promote garbage segregation. The civic officials had also claimed benches were being purchased as and when there was a demand for more seating. These demands are raised by the elected members and locals.
“Often, the ward offices initiate the procurement process. They do so as per the demand from the citizens and corporators,” said a senior PMC official, who requested anonymity.