VVCMC Accused of Diverting Rs 23.5 Crore Meant for Vasai Dalit Settlements
The Vasai-Virar City Municipal Corporation (VVCMC) has been accused of injustice after allegedly diverting Rs 23.50 crore earmarked for the development of Dalit settlements in Vasai taluka to other municipal works, according to details obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The disclosure came through an RTI application filed by activist Pravin Jadhav. The records revealed that a total of Rs 23.50 crore was received between 2015 and 2026 specifically to upgrade civic conditions in local Dalit localities.
The funds were formally allocated under the Urban Dalit Settlement Improvement Scheme, an initiative designed to establish and upgrade basic infrastructure in marginalized residential pockets. However, the municipal corporation reportedly channeled these funds into broad civic projects, including roads, drains, gardens, and other general development works.
Because of the alleged fund diversion, several Dalit settlements throughout Vasai taluka continue to lack basic civic amenities. Residents in these areas continue to grapple with deficient water supply, poor sanitation, unpaved internal roads, and inadequate drainage networks.
The findings have triggered strong resentment among local residents, who pointed out that their settlements have been forced to wait for essential civic upgrades despite government funds having been sanctioned specifically for their welfare.
Local residents have now demanded that the VVCMC restore the entire Rs 23.50 crore that was diverted to other works. They have called on the civic body to make the funds available again immediately and deploy them directly toward infrastructure works across the affected settlements.
