BMC likely to rent out classrooms, playgrounds in Mumbai to raise education funding: Report
Considering the increase in annual expenditure and minimum income, the education department intends to create a new source of income in the coming fiscal year 'from the department of education, erecting advertisements, banners, and hoardings on BMC school buildings and renting out classrooms for study/library private classes.
FollowBrihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), India's richest civic body, plans to rent its school classrooms and playgrounds to private parties to generate more revenue. Following the budget estimate, banners and hoardings will now be permitted on school buildings.Â
The BMC operates 11 CBSE and one ICSE school under the Mumbai Public School banner (MPS), apart from the state-board schools. The budget estimate for the fiscal year 2023-24 does not include separate funds for MPS schools.
Considering the increase in annual expenditure and minimum income, the education department intends to create a new source of income in the coming fiscal year 'from the department of education, erecting advertisements, banners, and hoardings on BMC school buildings and renting out classrooms for study/library private classes. Similarly, by leasing the school's adjacent grounds to outside organisations for sports competitions and cultural events,' according to the budget document.
The allocation for education was reduced slightly in the budget estimate presented on Saturday by Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal. The proposed education budget for 2023-24 is Rs 3,347 crore, up from Rs 3,370 crore last year. In addition, Rs 15 crore has been set aside for non-state board civic schools in 2022.
The Maharashtra Government has approved the self-financing of these CBSE and ICSE schools beginning in 2022.
Following the budget document, the BMC owns 476 school buildings, many undergoing upgrades and reconstruction. Major repair work on 22 buildings will be completed by March 2023, with 16 projects completed in the following fiscal year. The BMC said that the reconstruction of 22 buildings would be completed by the end of March 2023 and that the remaining five works would be completed in the following fiscal year.
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