Pune Cantonment Board New CEO Subrat Pal Says, “PCB’s Financial Condition Worrisome”
Pune, 7th July 2022: The new Chief Executive officer (CEO) of Pune Cantonment Board (PCB), Subrat Pal, has raised concerns about the board’s financial situation which, as a result, has delayed the execution of projects.
Subrat Pal said, “The board’s financial situation is worrisome. It might be challenging to pay the staff’s salary if the Centre does not provide sufficient grants in the upcoming two months.”
He added, “Basic amenities like street lighting have been stalled at some points in the cantonment region and a multi-level parking project is currently at a halt. The board is unable to come up with enough money to settle outstanding water arrears with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC).”
The expected monthly expenditure for the board is Rs 6 crore which includes maintenance and other charges. Grants from the Centre, which amount to about Rs 25–30 crore annually, are the primary sources of revenue. 30 crore rupees are made from car entry tax, property tax, and other service costs.
This problem, which the board has been dealing with for some time, has been made worse by the state government’s refusal to release their portion of the Goods and Service Tax (GST) compensation. The state government is still owed GST in the amount of more than Rs 500 crore, and the case is still in court.
