Maharashtra industries minister announces Rs 1200 cr tender by BMC to collect garbage from slums

MUMBAI: State industries minister Uday Samant announced on Monday that the Rs 1200 crore tender awarded by BMC to collect garbage from the city's slums and keep them clean, which was given to private companies, will be cancelled if it is found that the employment interests of local youths and inhabitants are being sidelined.

Samant was responding to a calling attention motion raised by BJP leader and Legislative Council member Pravin Darekar. Darekar pointed out that the work is currently being carried out by thousands of local youths belonging to several NGOs, which include groups of unemployed and handicapped people, social service organizations, women's associations, and their self-help groups.

"If these works are awarded to private companies for the next four years, around 2,500 NGOs and 75,000 workers associated with them will become unemployed," Darekar and several other legislators from both the ruling and opposition benches pointed out.

Darekar mentioned that these workers are currently receiving a Rs 6000 honorarium every month. "In the new contract, the workers have been promised a Rs 21,800 salary per month, which could actually be given to the workers of these NGOs," he said, highlighting a similar demand made by the Brihanmumbai Federation of Unemployed Youths.

Following agreement among members from both the ruling and opposition benches on the issue, Samant announced that the tender would be cancelled if it adversely impacted the employment interests of local youths.

Samant was replying on behalf of chief minister Eknath Shinde who held the urban development ministry.

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