BBMP budget likely to be postponed
As the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) gears up for the elections, the administration is now in a Catch-22 situation over the budget to be announced in the Palike.
Over the past four years, in the absence of a sitting council for the BBMP, the yearly budget had been passed by the Commissioner of BBMP. In the normal course, the budget for the BBMP is announced at the end of the financial year, preparing for the coming year.
With the election code of conduct now in place, the BBMP budget is now likely to be postponed till May 2010. As a stop-gap arrangement, the Palike has approached the government for funding their administrative cost.
According to the Palike officials, the BBMP has asked for a minimum of Rs 500 crore to tide over the current phase of no allocation towards their expenditure. “We have approached the government urging funds for administrative expenditures, including salaries and maintainance,” said a Palike official. The official budget is likely to be announced after the the BBMP council is in place and the new mayor takes over.
