MC okays Rs 1,260-cr budget amid ruckus

Ramkrishan Upadhyay
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 14

The Chandigarh Municipal Corporation proposed no new tax as its General House approved a budget of Rs 1,260 crore for 2019-20 amid high drama and ruckus.

The MC allocated over Rs 468 crore under the capital head and Rs 791 crore under the revenue head. Roads, infrastructure and upgrade of water supply, sewerage and the storm water system are some of the areas where the MC will focus next year.

The meeting witnessed chaos after Satish Kainth, BJP’s expelled councillor, and Independent councillor Dalip Sharma staged a boycott, terming the meeting illegal. Kainth said the Mayor could not hold a meeting as per MC law.

Kainth said for a special meeting, a request from one-fourth of the councillors was required in writing in advance as per Sub-Section 2 of Section 55 (1), Chapter 4, of transactions of business under the Punjab Minucipal Corporation Act. Later, he wrote to the Adviser asking him to look into the matter.

Kainth said there was no request in advance from any councillor and under the Act, it was mandatory to hold the budget meeting in the first week of February every year as per Section 86.

Kainth termed the meeting a wastage of public money and councillors’ time. He said all expenses of the meeting should be recovered from the Mayor.

Congress councillor Devinder Singh Babla termed the budget unrealistic saying that the MC had no money for development. He said the MC was expected to get Rs 276 crore from its own resources and it had demanded Rs 1,260 crore grant-in-aid from the UT. He said there was no chance of getting additional money from the Administration.