PCMC doles out grants for institutions close to politics

PUNE, Jan 27: A major chunk of financial grants given by the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) every year are again expected to be granted to only those institutions with which several elected members and office-bearers of the corporation are associated. The release of the financial grants by the municipal corporation to social, educational, cultural and sports institutions has always been mired in controversies and this year seems to be no different.

This year an amount of Rs 17.31 lakh is being distributed among 240 institutions. The final list of the institutions who have fulfilled the eligibility criteria for getting the donations has already been prepared and the issue of donations is to figure in the general body meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

According to the list, a donation of Rs one lakh alone will go to four educational institutions of the Pune Zilla Shikshan Mandal of which Congress MLC Ramkrishna More is the founder. Institutions with which the Mayor, the party leader, standing committee chairman, the committee members, the opposition leader, and other prominent corporators are associated will be getting major grants up to Rs 75,000 each. The Mahratta Chamber of Commerce, Industries and Agricultureas one of the beneficiaries in the list of organisations outside the PCMC limits.