PANAJI: There seems to be something that draws politicians to requisition new cars for themselves after occupying official posts.
The cash-strapped Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) is to buy a new Toyota Innova car for Panaji mayor Surendra Furtado<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Surendra-Furtado> at a cost of over 14 lakh. The CCP <http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/CCP> standing committee approved a proposal for procuring a new Toyota Innova car for the mayor on Wednesday. The cost of the car proposed to be purchased is 14,20,643. The mayor had through a note dated July 2, 2013, proposed purchase of a new car for his use. In his note, Furtado has stated that due to health reasons he has been medically advised not to travel in a car with a lower deck and hence proposed to purchase the new multi utility vehicle. At present, Furtado uses a Volkswagon Vento sedan which was purchased on June 2, 2011, and has mainly been used by his predecessor Vaidehi Naik. As per the circular issued by the finance department<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Finance-Department> last year, the chairperson of a corporation or autonomous body can purchase a car with a price ceiling of 10 lakh. The CCP intends to submit the proposal to the government for relaxing the norms mentioned in the circular so as to enable the corporation to procure a new car for the mayor. In order to enable the corporation to purchase the car, administrative approval would be sought from the directorate of municipal administration (DMA) and then from the finance department. The entire cost of the car would be borne by the corporation, which is already straddled with a financial deficit of over 13 crore. The corporation will also purchase three Tata Nano<http://www.zigwheels.com/newcars/Tata-Motors/Nano> cars for officials from its technical, municipal solid waste (MSW) and taxation<http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Taxation> sections. The three Nano cars will be purchased from the corporation funds at the total cost of 4,74,123.
