Rs 406 cr loan for cash-strapped BEST

In order to help the cashstrapped Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Trasport (BEST) undertaking clear its financial dues, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in its annual 2021-22 municipal budget has proposed to provide a Rs 406 cr loan to the transport body at a nominal interest rate. BEST owes gratuity payment to 3649 employees, for which the transport body will require additional funds for settling the dues. Alongside this, BMC has also announced a financial aid of Rs 50 lakh each for the kins of employees who died due to Covid, while they were on frontline service.

“A total of 101 BEST workers have died during the pandemic in the line of duty and more than 3,600 employees have their gratuities pending. The BMC will transfer the funds to BEST by the end of this month itself so that the dues of the servicemen get settled,” said municipal commissioner, Iqbal Singh Chahal.

BMC also highlighted the need for new action plans for reviving the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking.