The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) will be spending around ₹96 lakh for the study tour of corporators and co-option members, which is scheduled from August 16 to 23. As part of the tour, as many as 113 members will be visiting Delhi, Chandigarh, Shimla, Kulu Manali and Agra Municipal Corporations to study innovative schemes being implemented in the fields of sanitation and engineering. The GVMC council has approved the proposal related to it, which was introduced in the table agenda.
Earlier, the GVMC has called for request for proposal(RFP) from agencies. Two private agencies in their quotation have proposed different charges for overall flight fare, Volvo bus travel, three-star hotel accommodation, local tour buses and food expenses. While one agency quoted ₹85,500 for each member, another quoted ₹94,100. The GVMC officials have proposed an agenda requesting to approve the RFP given by the agency which quoted ₹85,500 for each member, total amounting to ₹96.61 lakh. The YSRCP, a few TDP corporators and co-option members are taking part in the tour.
However, around 17 corporators from the Left, Jana Sena Party, CPI, some TDP and YSRCP corporators showed no interest in the study tour. While some expressed unwillingness to take part in the tour claiming that they do not want to waste public money, others cited personal reasons.
Ward 22 Corporator P.V.L.N. Murthy Yadav of JSP, who was one of the corporators who are not taking part in the study tour, alleged that the GVMC has failed to take up basic development works, but is now spending huge money on it. Most of the techniques, which are being implemented in the other corporations, are being followed here also, he said.
Some of the corporators questioned the need to visit Shimla and Kulu Manali, which are ranked low in Swachh Survekshan. They also alleged that the study tour is for a jolly trip and wasting public money.
