Development fund crosses Rs 6 crore

SURAT, June 30: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has collected Rs 6.45 crore towards the controversial `Development Fund' from builders...

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SURAT, June 30: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has collected Rs 6.45 crore towards the controversial `Development Fund’ from builders over the last four months.

Municipal Commissioner S Jagadeesan told reporters here on Monday that while Rs 2.15 crore had been deposited by various builders and developers, the remaining amount would be deposited within six months.

The amount collected would be utilised for various development projects, he said. Reacting to a report published in Express Newsline, he claimed that the amount collected was much more than what a number of individuals had promised to the former commissioner for the `Surat First project’.

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Jagadeesan said he had the list of all those individuals who had offered to finance various projects. However, at the same time he gave the impression that he had not given up the Surat First Project.

He also called Director of Planning R D Desai and directed him to hold a meeting within a week regarding the project, and keep the list “open ended.” If more people want to join the project, they should be welcomed, he said.

Under the Surat First project, launched by former municipal commissioner S R Rao, a number of builders, businessmen had offered to develop various projects.

However, after his transfer, his successor allegedly shown no interest in the project. Reversing certain policies framed by Rao, Jagadeesan evolved his own way to develop Surat. While centralizing powers, he asked each builder to deposit one per cent of his total project cost in Development Fund if he wanted to get his plan sanctioned. While some willingly or unwillingly complied with the verbal order, other just shelved their proposals awaiting the commissioner’s transfer.