Chandigarh MC House meeting today: Oppn parties likely to raise objections against budget

The Chandigarh MC general House meeting on budget proposals for the coming fiscal is scheduled for Tuesday and councillors of opposition parties are likely to raise objections

The municipal corporation general House meeting on budget proposals for the coming fiscal is scheduled for Tuesday and councillors of opposition parties are likely to raise objections.

The BJP-led Chandigarh MC has proposed a budget of ₹1,725.19 crore for the 2022-23 fiscal. (HT File)

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is likely to raise the issue of “unspent” budgetary funds for capital expenditure for the current fiscal and the “hyperbole” grant-in-aid estimates for the coming fiscal. The Congress is also likely to question the BJP on different provisions and allocations proposed in the budget.

“But, we will not block the passing of the budget. We don’t want to give the BJP a chance to blame us,” said a Congress councillor, requesting anonymity.

The BJP-led corporation has proposed a budget of ₹1,725.19 crore for the 2022-23 fiscal. Both Congress and AAP councillors held meetings with their senior party leaders on Monday, where they discussed various aspects of the budget.

Subhas Chawla, Congress city president, said, “The budget proposal is hopeless. It shows that the condition of the city isn’t likely to improve in the coming fiscal. The way allocation has been made for sanitation and dumping ground indicates that the city’s ranking will further fall in the swacchh survey from 66th last year.”

“As per the budget proposal, only ₹66 crore of the approved funds could be sent. It is due to the incompetency of the BJP. In such scenario where the MC could not spend funds. The figures are fudged. No councillor was involved in its preparation and even the F&CC was ignored?”, said senior AAP leader Chandermukhi Sharma. He also claimed there were many discrepancies in expenditure, receipts and spending figures proposed in the budget.

Mayor Sarabjit Kaur, said, “We want to take everybody along for city’s development. Opposition parties should also cooperate for Chandigarh’s betterment.”