The consensus was that the budget should not be a secret document as people’s money is involved and therefore citizens should be involved in its spending.

In his address, Dr A Ravindra, retired chief secretary said “We do not have an integrated budget making process.
There is a need for the formation of the Metropolitan Planning Committee, which is recommended by the Kasturirangan Committee on Governance of BBMP,” he said.

While Prof G Ramesh of IIM (B) spoke on the need for fiscal discipline, Mathew Thomas of Citizens' Action Forum
pointed out how both performance orientation and citizens’ participation are not just mandated by State law, but also are a Constitutional requirement.

The seminar was organised by the Centre for Public Policy, Indian Institute of Management (Bangalore), the Bangalore Chambers of Industry and Commerce (BCIC), Citizens’ Action Forum and Karnataka Kolageri Nivasigala Samyukta Sangathane (KKNSS).

BBMP Additional Commissioner (Finance) Sandip Dash agreed to make budgeting transparent and allow public participation in future. The seminar is first in a series aimed at making budgeting transparent.