BMC budget would have an imprint of Shinde-Fadnavis

The imprint of the Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis duo would clearly be visible when the budget to the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is tabled in February in the run up to the mega local bodies elections in Maharashtra which would be a sort of litmus test for the ruling and opposition alliances.

The BMC – one of the biggest and richest civic bodies of India – is being ruled by the Shiv Sena for quarter of a century, however, with the split in the Balasaheb Thackeray-founded saffron party, the fight is intense.

The five-year term of the BMC – elected in 2017 ended on March 7, 2022.

After which, Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal was appointed as an Administrator.

It is for the first time since 1984-85 that the BMC is being run by an Administrator in absence of an elected civic body.

It’s thus after well over three decades that there would not be a Mayor or General Body or Standing Committee when the Budget for the financial year 2023-24 is tabled.

Dr Chahal is giving final touches to the budget.

In 2021-22, the Budget had a total outlay of Rs 39,083 crore while in 2022-23, the Budget had a total outlay of Rs 45,949 crore - and it is expected to be much bigger in size this time.

On January 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had already sounded the bugle for the BMC polls during which he launched and dedicated several projects. He is expected to visit Mumbai next month again, however, the schedule has not yet been finalised.

Shinde, who holds the Urban Development portfolio and Fadnavis, who holds the Home, Finance and Housing ministries have held a series of meetings on Mumbai's development- which was clearly evident from Modi’s visit.

The government intends to give a major facelift to Mumbai in the next two to three years.

The Rs 6,100-crore 400-km road concretisation programme launched by the PM has already become a bone of contention between the Bharatiya Janata Party-Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena combine and the Shiv Sena group led by former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray.

Yuva Sena President Aaditya Thackeray, who is an MLA from Worli, has raised several questions vis-a-vis the project and have shot off letters to the commissioner.

On the agenda this time are several key areas - the primary being making the monsoons of Mumbai trouble-free for the citizens. Making high-quality roads, fixing potholes, addressing the storm water drains issue, and enhancing the sewage system would get prominence in the budget.

The ongoing work at the Coastal Road, which would be a game changer for Mumbai, would get priority. Augmenting health and water supply too figure in the top list.