BMP budget approved amid uproar, walk-out

BMP budget approved amid uproar, walk-out

The Hindu

Opposition terms it an `election budget'

# Grants for each of the 100 wards increased from Rs. 1.5 crore to Rs. 2.5 crore
# Several allocations in the original estimates have been re-appropriated
# MoU to be signed with IISc. for third-party inspection of road works

BANGALORE: The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) budget for 2006-2007 was approved with certain modifications amid uproar and walkout by the Opposition Janata Dal (Secular) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members on Monday.

While there has been no increase in the budget estimates of Rs 1,870 crore, the revised budget showed that several allocations in the original estimates had been re-appropriated to make provisions for enhancing the grants for each of the 100 wards from Rs. 1.5 crore to Rs. 2.5 crore and several other projects.

The MLA constituency grants of Rs. 30 crore, which were supposed to be divided equally for the development of all wards under the respective constituencies, have been doubled. As per the revised budget, the MLAs would have the discretionary power to allocate amount under this head to various wards in their area.

Walk-out

Terming it as a "Congress budget" prepared only with the elections in mind, the Opposition members said they were not satisfied with the Commissioner's reply to the budget discussion. While the Janata Dal (Secular) members walked out in protest, the BJP members raised slogans against the ruling Congress and Mayor Mumtaz Begum and later staged a walk-out.

As the budget was approved in the absence of the Opposition, the Janata Dal (Secular) leader B.R. Nanjundappa said he would complain about it to Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. "We will also take along the BJP members," he said.

The budget meeting was delayed by over three hours as the ruling party members along with the Mayor and the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance, Lalitha Srinivas Gowda, went into a huddle at an unknown place to put in place a modified budget. Finally, the budget was approved at 7.30 p.m., in the absence of the entire Opposition.

Inspection of roads

Earlier, replying to members, Commissioner Jyotiramalingam said the BMP would sign a memorandum of understanding with the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) for a third-party inspection of roads being upgraded under various schemes.

Work on upgrading the 80-foot Road in Koramangala, which was the first stretch being developed under the Karnataka Municipal Reforms Project (KMRP), had almost been completed and it would be thrown open to the public in the first week of May, the Commissioner said.

He suggested that the BMP council recommend to the State Government to bring all civic agencies under one umbrella for better co-ordination and execution of development works.

Other announcements

According to the revised proposals, it has been proposed to sell small BMP property, whose lease period has been completed and not renewed; a fee would be levied for entry into the newly-developed Jaiprakash Narayan Park in Mathikere; rent of shops in BMP markets would be increased; the BMP would call for applications to fill vacancies in various departments; a Slaughter house-cum-animal rendering unit would be set up at a cost of Rs. 10 crore and the BMP would develop storm water drain network in three CMCs of Rajajeshwarinagar, Byatarayanapura and K.R. Puram.