Mumbai: Ahead of BMC’s budget announcement, BJP MLA Yogesh Sagar has requested the civic body Commissioner to consult with people’s representatives, former heads of the committee appointed earlier, additional commissioners and other officials to bring transparency in the process. The request was made against the backdrop of the BMC’s administration which is run by the Commissioner in absence of the elections.
In a letter written to Iqbal Singh Chahal, the BJP leader said,
every year from the month of November – December, the BMC Commissioner starts the process of making the budget. Accordingly, the process of preparing the revised budget for the current budget 2022-23 and the budget for the coming 2023-24 must have started.
“At present, the 5-year period of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation has ended and due to the absence of further elections, the committees of the Municipal Corporation, Standing Committee, Education Committee, BEST Committee, etc. have been dissolved. As a result, they do not exist. All the powers have been consolidated with the Administrator and Municipal Commissioner,” he added.
Sagar demanded that a discussion is a must before the budget. “Therefore, various projects in the Greater Mumbai region such as road resurfacing, repair, pavement improvement and beautification, bridge and flyover works, traffic islands, parks, playground works, etc. are included in the budget by the people’s representatives through various committees. They incorporate it into the budget after consultation and approve it. But now the detailed discussion will not take place as this committee does not exist,” he said.
The BJP MLA asked the Commissioner to call all the stakeholders for discussion. “The BMC Commissioner should include all the various account heads, additional commissioners and chief accountants like these various committees and call people’s representatives, MLAs, MPs and hold meetings to review and discuss the project in detail so that people like us can participate in the budget proceedings in the department. Work instructions can be given and a detailed discussion will be held,” he suggested.
Sagar said the discussion is important to have clarity and transparency while making the budget. “The budget in all these proceedings should be published as usual and made available on the website. BMC Commissioner should organise meetings in 15 to 20 days as suggested above,” he said.
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