Trifurcation may help pass proposals

Most of the budget proposals presented by municipal commissioner KS Mehra on Wednesday may see the light of the day as with three corporations coming into existence, the political wing of several parties will not have much say in their finalisation.

Most of the budget proposals presented by municipal commissioner KS Mehra on Wednesday may see the light of the day as with three corporations coming into existence, the political wing of several parties will not have much say in their finalisation.

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Last year, several budget proposals of the commissioner were rejected by the political wing of MCD as the standing committee, which is headed by an elected member, clears the proposals.

However, under the trifurcated set-up, the decision-making powers will rest with the director of the municipal bodies, MCD commissioner and the Delhi government.
“All the taxes which have been proposed by us are required to increase our revenue and once all the three corporations come into existence in April, approving these proposals will become easier as the political wing will not have much say,” said a senior MCD official.

On Wednesday, when quizzed about the validity of the budget in the wake of trifurcation, MCD commissioner KS Mehra said the budget in the present form would act as the base for future budgets.

With the nod to trifurcation, the MCD will be divided into three separate corporations after April 2012, which is when the present budget will be implemented.
However, soon after the commissioner’s budget speech, MCD’s Standing Committee chairman Yogender Chandolia said that though he ‘appreciated’ the commissioner’s efforts, there was no question of increasing taxes or levying new ones.

Municipal commissioner KS Mehra presented a budget of Rs 6,691 crore for the next financial year 2012-13. Most of the funds will be spent on education, public works and streetlight which incudes maintenance of roads. From 2011-12, while no rise in funds have been allocated for most of the services MCD provides, there is a marginal increase of just 1% in public works and streetlights.