‘Budget proposals will spill over into 2011’
Will the Rs 8,497 crore Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Budget 2010-11 be implemented this financial year at all? Not if senior Congress corporator Gunashekar's arguments are to be believed.
At the budget session of the BBMP Council, Gunashekar argued that with only six months left out of the financial year, the Rs 8,497-crore Budget may not be implemented completely. Projects worth thousands of crores of rupees are very likely to spill over into the next financial year.
“With projects worth Rs 8,500 crore proposed in it, the Budget will go to the State Government for approval. According to the Karnataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) Act of 1976, the Government can withhold the budget for two months without assigning reasons,” he stated.
If the Budget is passed without clarifications sought, BBMP will start issuing work codes for the next 15 days and then call for tenders. “Where is the time for the BBMP to implement all the proposed projects in such a short time frame when half the year is over?” he questioned.
In his hour-long argument, the three-time corporator from Jayamahal said the ruling party had misled the people by presenting an “inflated” budget and not considered the time frame at its disposal. “By the beginning of the next financial year, the Budget will cross the Rs 12,000-crore mark and add further pressure on the BBMP to deliver,” he said.
He recalled that infrastructure projects worth over Rs 1,000 crore mentioned in the Budget for this financial year, which were part of the “midnight tender” controversy that is currently being heard at the High Court.
“What happens if the tender process is scrapped? The entire Rs 1,000-crore project which includes the construction of signal-free corridors, the backbone of your budget will have to be revised or dropped for the year,” he said. The Congress leader hoped that the Mayor, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance will consider his case and present a fresh budget that is more “realistic”.
On the other side of the aisle, B R Nanjundappa (BJP) appreciated the Budget and hoped that some of the pilot projects will be spread across the City. “With regard to the LED lights to be tested in two wards, we corporators hope that each road from every ward will be given an opportunity to test the lamps,” he said.
He also appealed for an increased allocation for burial grounds in the City which needed at least four vans per crematorium, Nanjundappa said.
The senior BJP leader also expected the Mayor to issue an order towards including all caste and religion living in the slums to be given the title deeds.
