Chandigarh admn asks MC for report on legality of ₹2,325-cr budget

On March 6, the Chandigarh MC House had approved a budget of ₹2,325 crore for financial year 2024-25, even though the local bodies secretary had asked the mayor to defer the meeting, citing legal opinion

The UT local bodies department has sought a report from the municipal corporation on the legality of the ₹2,325-crore budget for financial year 2024-25, approved during a special House meeting on March 6, under the chairmanship of mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor.

Chandigarh mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor said, “The budget was approved in the House and the mayor has the power to convene the House meeting. I have done nothing illegal. Even the accounts officer was present there during the meeting and read out the budget.” (HT File)

“Since we received the agenda from MC pertaining to the budget approved on March 6, we have sought a report from the civic body on the legality of the budget approval. Meanwhile, we have allocated a budget of ₹300 crore for the committed liabilities for the next three months, which mainly include employees’ salaries, expenditure on garbage processing, minor works, taxes and tendered contract payments. We do not want people to suffer,” said Nitin Yadav, secretary, local government, Chandigarh.

He further said, “Once we get the report from MC, we will further decide.”

When asked about the agenda items of free 20,000 litres of water and free parking approved in the special House meeting held on March 9, he said, “We have not received their agenda yet, but it will be addressed only after the model code of conduct is over.”

On March 6, the MC House had approved a budget of ₹2,325 crore for financial year 2024-25, even though the local bodies secretary had asked the mayor to defer the meeting, citing legal opinion.

Skipping the meeting, BJP councillors had termed the proceedings “illegal and invalid”.

Later in the day, the local bodies secretary had sought an explanation from municipal commissioner Anindita Mitra, who wrote back that it was the mayor’s decision to call the meeting.

When contacted, city mayor Kuldeep Kumar Dhalor said, “The budget was approved in the House and the mayor has the power to convene the House meeting. I have done nothing illegal. Even the accounts officer was present there during the meeting and read out the budget.”

₹14 crore already released

As of March 15, the UT administration had already released ₹14 crore for the municipal corporation. The amount includes ₹5 crore grant-in-aid, which comprises ₹1 crore for cow cess, and ₹1 crore for construction and demolition waste. In addition to this, a grant of ₹9 crore has been released for the pan-city 24x7 water supply project to meet expenditure for the outgoing financial year. The funds were requested by MC on February 27.