The Maharashtra government has formed a committee to conduct a thorough audit of the financial transactions undertaken by Mumbai’s civic body, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), over the past 25 years, State Minister Uday Samant announced on Tuesday.

Addressing reporters in Mumbai, Samant revealed that the decision to form the committee stemmed from concerns raised during a legislative assembly discussion on Monday focused on the functioning of civic bodies. Legislators expressed apprehensions about BMC`s finances, prompting doubts and questions about its transactions spanning the last quarter-century.

Samant, designated to handle queries related to the urban development department, informed the media that he had appointed a three-member committee to delve into the financial transactions of BMC dating back 25 years. The committee`s findings are expected to be presented in due course, after which the government intends to publish a comprehensive white paper on the matter.

Also read: Opposition leaders protest against Maharashtra govt; allege health services on ventilator support

Responding to inquiries about the possibility of similar probes into the financial dealings of civic bodies in Pune, Nagpur, and Kalyan-Dombivili, as demanded by the opposition, Minister Samant asserted that such investigations would be conducted when deemed necessary. He clarified that there was currently no compelling reason to initiate similar probes for other municipal bodies.

Meanwhile, leaders of the opposition parties staged an agitation against the Maharashtra government on Tuesday, alleging that “the health services in the state were on ventilator support”.

Leaders of the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance, constituting the Shiv Sena (UBT), Nationalist Congress Party`s Sharad Pawar faction and Congress, raised slogans against Maharashtra Health Minister Tanaji Sawant and his department.

Leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly Vijay Wadettiwar, Leader of Opposition in legislative council Ambadas Danve, Congress leaders Ashok Chavan and Balasaheb Thorat gathered on the steps outside the Vidhan Bhavan wearing white coats, carrying stethoscopes and a stretcher.

Speaking to reporters, Danve said the health services in the state have deteriorated, with several deaths reported in the government hospitals of Nagpur, Nanded, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar and Kalwa in Thane district.

“The health services in Maharashtra are on ventilator support,” the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader said.

He further claimed that there was a shortage of medicines in state-run hospitals and accused the government of being unable to provide proper healthcare to patients.

Source link