Thane corporators demand status of earlier budget, create ruckus

For the first time, the Thane Municipal Corporation’s budget presentation for the year 2021-22 was amidst complete chaos as the NCP and Congress corporators in the standing committee created a ruckus

For the first time, the Thane Municipal Corporation’s budget presentation for the year 2021-22 was amidst complete chaos as the NCP and Congress corporators in the standing committee created a ruckus.

NCP and Congress corporators protest during the TMC budget presentation in Thane on Friday. (Praful Gangurde/HT)

They demanded that the corporation should first give a status of implementation of the earlier budget before playing to the gallery. The members stood on the table, gave anti-administration slogans and refused to allow the budget to be presented.

The entire budget was read in this chaos after the standing committee chairman, Sanjay Bhoir, asked the commissioner to proceed despite the protests. The presentation was completed within 10 minutes.

Hanumant Jagdale, NCP corporator, said, “Every year, we merely attend the budget presentation and approve it. After that, we have no clue on its implementation. The situation has been the same since 2014, wherein mega projects which make good headlines are promised. However, no one knows their status after the budget is tabled. Moreover last year, there was budget allocation for corporator’s funds. However, none of it reached us.”

He was seconded by Congress corporator Vikrant Chavan, who added, “The administration has tabled a list of ₹455Cr new civic works before the committee. However, none of the work orders of the projects in the previous budget have been approved yet. We are clueless as to from where these projects have come or who decided them. We do not want any big, false promises in the budget. The administration should give us the actual estimate of revenue loss last year and status of budget implementation.”

TMC chief, Dr. Vipin Sharma, refused to comment on the incident. “The allegations are administrative matters and not a part of the budget. We have been implementing the same budget, which the standing committee had approved last year.”