JMC losing more than Rs 33 lakh per month
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, Mar 4: At the time when Government is devising mechanism for charging Property Tax in the name of generating funds for the municipal bodies, the Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC), on the other hand, is intentionally hindering its biggest source of revenue generation.
For extraneous considerations, the JMC authorities are allegedly delaying finalization of the bidding process for sole advertising rights through advertising and pole kiosks within the Municipal limits and thus losing income in crores of rupees.
While the concerned authorities are tight lipped over the reasons for delaying finalization of the bidding process, sources alleged that some vested interests in JMC are exploiting the situation for wrongful gain in connivance with the mafia illegally installing advertisement hoarding in Jammu city.
Pertinent to mention that the contract with the earlier approved firm for advertising rights through hoardings and pole kiosks with the Municipal limits had expired in June last year, when Covid lockdown was in force.
Even as the business activities in Jammu had started limping back by September 2020, the JMC took another three months in inviting fresh tenders from registered firms for sole advertising rights in Ward number 1 to 75 within the Municipal limits. The online tenders complete in all respects along with scanned copy of Bank Guarantee amounting to Rs 4 lakhs were required to be uploaded on or before January 19, 2021. January 22, 2021 was the date of opening technical bid after which financial bids were also submitted by the participating firms. Rs 4 crores per year is the base price of bidding and the contract period will be for a period of five years from the date of signing of the agreement.
However, even after more than a month since opening of the technical bids and submission of the financial bids by the participating firms, the JMC is still delaying finalization of the process and allotment of advertising rights to the successful bidder.
Because of the delay, the Municipal Corporation is losing more than Rs 33 lakh per month while on the other hand, some unscrupulous elements in connivance with JMC officials are illegally putting up advertisement hoardings on public places.
According to the sources, days before inviting tenders for allotment of advertising rights, the JMC had proposed installing 10 hoardings at nine identified locations as temporary arrangement with the help of an advertising agency.
As the said advertising agency was roped in on pick and choose basis without any transparency, sources alleged misuse of official order, No. JMC/PS/Com/397-400, dated 22/12/2020 in this regard, allowing exploitation of public spaces for pecuniary benefit by this business concern in connivance with some corrupt officials of the JMC.
As per the JMC order, only nine locations were identified for putting up hoarding structures, one each at Gole Market, Gandhi Nagar; Women College, Gandhi Nagar; Jewel Chowk, Main stop, Gandhi Nagar, Apsra Road, Rajinder Chowk, MA Stadium, Bahu Plaza and two at Asia.
However, in sheer violation of the said order, more than hundred commercial hoardings are illegally on displace at various locations in Jammu and the rental income from these illegal hoardings is allegedly usurped by the JMC officials and the handpicked advertising agency.
Despite repeated attempts, the concerned JMC officers were not available for comments.
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