Latest news with #DayashankarTiwari
Time of India
14-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
After Rs 270cr loss in finance panel grants, NMC seeks relaxed norms
Nagpur: The city was deprived of over Rs270 crore in sanctioned grants under the 15th Finance Commission , primarily due to the absence of an elected general body and failure to meet certain conditions such as mandated 15% annual increase in property tax. The issue was flagged by former mayor Dayashankar Tiwari at the recently concluded 16th Finance Commission meeting held in who represented the city, highlighted the growing financial burden on Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) due to its high share in central govt-funded projects. He cited the Rs900 crore Pora River Pollution Abatement Project where NMC's share is 50% (around Rs479 crore). To meet this obligation, NMC is taking a loan of Rs450 crore, despite the project having a three-year completion timeline. In contrast, under the Rs1,927 crore Nag River Pollution Abatement Project , NMC's share is only 15% (around Rs290 crore), and with an eight-year deadline, the civic body may be able to manage its contribution more comfortably. Against this backdrop, Tiwari urged the commission to reduce NMC's share in future centrally-funded projects to ease fiscal pressure on the the 15th Finance Commission, the central govt sanctioned Rs243.70 crore for the city's Air Quality Improvement Programme and Rs 357.27 crore for water and sanitation works. However, only Rs132.60 crore was released for air quality projects and Rs198.44 crore for water and sanitation — both before the NMC's general body was dissolved on March 4, 2022. The remaining Rs270.93 crore — Rs111.10 crore for air quality and Rs 158.83 crore for sanitation — has not been released argued that eligibility for 15th Finance Commission funds required the presence of elected representatives and a 15% annual hike in property tax. However, municipal elections have not been held in Maharashtra since 2022, and administrative limitations — including staff deployment for Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, and manpower shortages — prevented the mandated tax a result, NMC did not receive grants under the 15th FC for the years 2023-24, 2024-25, and 2025-26. Tiwari urged the commission to relax such stringent conditions, arguing that cities should not be penalised for circumstances beyond their control. He called for a more flexible policy to ensure essential public projects are not stalled due to technical non-compliance.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
BJP Picks Tiwari As City Chief In Pre-Poll Strategy Shift To Attract Hindi Voters
Nagpur: In a strategic reshuffle ahead of the upcoming civic elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday appointed former mayor Dayashankar Tiwari as its new Nagpur city unit president, replacing Bunty Kukde. The decision is seen as a bid to consolidate the party's Hindi-speaking voter base and reaffirm its ideological positioning in the elevation comes amid growing demands within the party to give leadership representation to the sizeable Hindi-speaking population in Nagpur, traditionally considered a loyal BJP constituency. A party functionary remarked, "The appointment addresses a long-standing aspiration within the community and reinforces our core ideological commitment."Sources said Tiwari's name was earlier considered for the West Nagpur Assembly constituency, following reported internal resistance to his candidacy from Central Nagpur due to caste and religious calculations. Although the party ultimately fielded former MLA Sudhakar Kohale from West Nagpur, Tiwari remained a strong contender. He got upset, and even his supporters staged a protest for granting him a ticket. However, his new appointment is being viewed as both a reconciliatory gesture and a tactical move to balance competing factions within the city insiders noted that the leadership laid down clear criteria for the new city chief — excluding sitting or former MLAs and favouring younger faces. Tiwari, known for his hardline Hindutva stance, fit the profile. "He can clearly articulate the party's ideological vision while managing local dynamics effectively," a senior leader his tenure as mayor, Tiwari took several visible decisions, including the controversial installation of Swami Vivekananda's statue on the banks of Ambazari Lake. The move drew public criticism after the area suffered flooding in September 2023, with the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court censuring the civic body multiple times on the Tiwari's selection, several names were under consideration, including state BJP vice-president Sanjay Bhende, senior leader Narendra alias Balya Borkar, and former city chief Pravin Datke. The decision followed intense consultations by observers Hansraj Ahir and MLA Randhir Sawarkar, who met city office-bearers on May 1. The final approval reportedly came from Union minister Nitin Gadkari, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, and state BJP president Chandrashekhar Kukde's supporters lobbied for his reappointment by highlighting recent electoral successes — winning the Lok Sabha seat and four out of six assembly segments in Nagpur — party leaders maintained that a leadership refresh was necessary ahead of the municipal polls scheduled within the next four months.
Time of India
03-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Ex-mayor Tiwari to represent city at finance commission meeting
Nagpur: Former mayor Dayashankar Tiwari will represent Nagpur city at the 16th Finance Commission 's crucial meeting scheduled for May 8 at Sahyadri, Mumbai. The meeting, chaired by Arvind Panagariya, will deliberate on fiscal allocations for the next five years starting FY 2026-27. Tiwari is one of four ex-mayors chosen to represent their cities and urban local bodies after a video conference conducted by the urban development department's principal secretary on Friday. The virtual meet screened six former mayors from key Maharashtra cities — Nagpur, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Nashik, Pune, and Pimpri-Chinchwad. Apart from urban leaders, 19 representatives from rural bodies and members of commerce and industry associations also took part. Nagpur's inclusion in the final panel comes amid a funding drought under the 15th Finance Commission. A senior official from Nagpur Municipal Corporation 's (NMC) finance and accounts department confirmed that the city did not receive a single rupee under the 15th Finance Commission during the last three financial years. "This has severely impacted growth. Many infrastructure and development projects were stalled due to lack of funds," the official said. Tiwari is expected to strongly raise the issue before the commission and justify why Nagpur requires financial assistance. He will also present a detailed list of proposals on behalf of the NMC. "Before 2022, we received almost Rs200 crore under the 15th Finance Commission. But the last three years saw complete neglect," the official added. The commission's terms of reference also include recommending measures to strengthen the Consolidated Funds of states for supporting panchayats and municipalities and reviewing disaster management funding. The govt has deliberately kept the scope flexible, allowing the commission room to make broader suggestions within constitutional limits. Tiwari, the last elected mayor before the NMC's general body was dissolved in March 2022, has been invited based on his administrative experience.
