JOIN USFinding fault with the budget is usually considered the Opposition’s job, but Chamarajpet corporator B V Ganesh of the ruling BJP defied the axiom on Wednesday, pointing out many shortcomings in the BBMP’s budget tabled by Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy on July 26.
Ganesh, however, clarified that he was “not criticising the budget but only pointing out some lacunae introduced by the officials”. During the discussion on the budget, he said the estimated revenue from development charges in 2011-12 was Rs 251 crore, but this year it was shown to be just Rs 101 crore. “Was there any natural calamity that the BBMP officials estimated reduction in the development charge?” Ganesh sought to know.
According to him, the revenue from buildings housing Central government offices did not find place in the budget, which suggested that they had disappeared from the City.
Besides, the revenue from parking fee and licence fee from advertisement on bus shelters were very less compared with previous years, he added.
He cautioned that his remarks should be taken in the right spirit as his aim was only to bring efficiency in the BBMP’s functioning. “My comments are not for criticism. They are only for introspection. The budget shows that officials who prepared it lack commitment,” said Ganesh. Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy too acknowledged anomalies in the estimated revenue from each department.
However, Kacharakanahalli corporator Padmanabha Reddy, who recently switched loyalty from JD(S) to BJP during the Assembly elections, hailed the budget, saying it would lead the City on the development path of Gujarat. Subhashnagar corporator T Mallesh complained about the poor roads.
Former Mayor and Sarakki corporator S K Nataraj lamented the official apathy, which led to the garbage crisis.