GB orders Thakur’s transfer, Mundhe seeks continuation

Nagpur: Yet another controversy has erupted between the ruling party BJP and municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe in the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).
On February 20, the general body had ordered Mundhe to send back chief accounts and finance officer (CAFO) Mona Thakur to the state government with immediate effect. Though Mundhe wrote to the state government on Tuesday informing about the general body’s decision, he also requested Thakur’s continuation in the NMC.
NMC sources said that Mundhe requested Thakur’s continuation as she is preparing his budget for 2020-21. Already, Mundhe’s budget is late as he is preparing work-wise budget. Mundhe also reportedly stressed the need for Thakur’s continuation till new accounts and finance officer is appointed by the government.
Now, the ball is in the court of Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government. MVA is already taking steps to take direct control over the NMC and also bring back Nagpur Improvement Trust (NIT) as planning authority for unauthorized areas of the city.
Thakur is known to be very strict when it comes to financial issues. Her decisions have irked ruling party leaders in the NMC many times. Hence, Dharampal Meshram, chairman of NMC’s legal consultative committee, raised the issue in the general body meeting on February 20.
Citing section 47 (2) of the Maharashtra Municipal Corporations (MMC) Act, Meshram said that any officer who earlier worked as CAFO in the NMC cannot occupy the same post later.
Thakur was CAFO in the NMC between June 15, 2017, and September 6, 2018. After assuming charge, Mundhe had requested the government and brought Thakur back on the same post on February 11. Accordingly, mayor Sandip Joshi had ordered Mundhe to relieve Thakur with immediate effect.
On Tuesday, Joshi wrote a letter to Mundhe asking further action in the case of orders given by him in the general body.
Meshram said, “It is expected that Mundhe should work as per the Act. He should also inform the government about provisions of the Act which do not permit Thakur to continue as CAFO.”
Meanwhile, Mundhe transferred Praful Farkase, OSD of standing committee chairman, as junior engineer at NMC Dhantoli zone. Farkase had prepared budget of standing committee chairpersons for the last 14 years.
After Mundhe’s budget, the standing committee chairman will have to prepare and present the budget. Without Farkase, the chairman is likely to face problems in preparing the budget.