Hyderabad: The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) is struggling to get nearly Rs 400 crore dues from the military for extending various services. The board is banking on this huge money to undertake development activities.
The cantonment area is spread over nearly 42 square kilometers and the SCB renders services like road maintenance, cleaning, sanitation works and garbage collection for the army establishments and its units.
Official sources said that the Ministry of Defence gave Rs 25 crore as service charges this year. The dues have accumulated due to the partial release of money every year, said S.V.R. Chandrasekhar, CEO of the SCB.
The elected board members have taken on themselves to get the money from the ministry. Recently, a delegation, led by vice-president J. Ramakrishna, went to New Delhi to take up the matter with concerned agencies. The delegation met Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya and other officials and urged them to release the dues at the earliest.
The vice-president said that the SCB was catering to over four lakh people which is high compared with 60 other cantonments.
“Area-wise and population-wise, the Secunderabad Canto-ment is the largest in the country and the board is in dire need of money to make available civic amenities. It will be helpful if the ministry pays the service charges on time,” an official said.
Meanwhile, a retired Army official said that both the SCB and the Army are under the ministry of defence and it is the ministry’s call when to release the money. The SCB is getting the maximum service charge payments compared to other cantonments.
Service charges
- Official sources said that the Ministry of Defence gave Rs 25 crore as service charges this year.
- The dues accumulated due to the partial release of money every year, SCB CEO S.V.R. Chandrasekhar said
- Recently, a team led by vice-president J. Ramakrishna, went to New Delhi to take up the matter.
- The delegation met Union labour minister Dattatreya and other officials and urged them to release the dues at the earliest.
