BMC Budget 2023: Time civic body looked beyond just roads

Civic chief Iqbal Singh Chahal is set to present the annual budget on Saturday and it is likely to touch the Rs 50,000-crore mark. It remains to be seen if the administration can think beyond the routine roads and bridges works this time. For the past two decades, the civic body has been spending a major chunk of its infrastructure budget on roads while hospitals, water network, sewage network and environment have largely been neglected.

There is a possibility of announcements of many big projects this time, there may not be new direct taxes on the citizens. Both the current government led by Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis combine and the previous MVA government did not approve the proposal to increase property tax in the past three years. And with the civic election likely to be announced in near future, people may not have to face new taxes. However, water and sewage tax will be increased in June as per the provision.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation had invited suggestions from the citizens for the budget till January 28. Suitable suggestions are incorporated in the budget, said civic officials. The civic body's budget has been increasing by around 10-15 per cent every year. Last year the BMC made a budget of Rs 45,949 crore. If the trend continues this year, the budget is likely to go over Rs 50,000 crore.

The BMC headquarters. The civic budget may also have emphasis on environmental measures. File pic

Last year, of the total Rs 45,949 crore, a whopping Rs 22,646 crore was allocated for infrastructure. However, the civic body spent only Rs 8,398 crore in nine months, till December 2022. Of this, Rs 3,540 crore, or 42 per cent, were spent on roads and bridges, including the Coastal Road project.

Also Read: Mumbai: BMC's FDs shrink by Rs 4,000 crore in a year

Other infra projects, however, took a back seat. The desalination project, centre for Mumbai Climate Action Plan and river rejuvenation projects have been on a slow track while tunnel laundry for washing hospital linen and Deonar abattoir revamp projects haven't started yet. Some projects which had big allocations - seven sewage treatment plants (Rs 1,340 crore), development of hospitals (Rs 2,510 crore), Ashray Yojana-houses for sanitation workers (Rs 1,300 crore) - also have not seen much progress.

"Though the size of the estimated expenditure is increasing, it is a fact that the spending doesn't go over 70 per cent at the end of the financial year. And a major chunk of the money spent goes to roads and bridges. It is high time that the BMC keeps sizable provisions for other infra works like solid waste management, sewage networks, health and water supply which are equally important," said Ravi Raja, former leader of opposition in the BMC.

However, given the demands from various political leaders of the ruling parties in the state, this year's budget, too, is likely to revolve around road concretisation, coastal road and beautification projects. The budget, though, may have provisions for sewage treatment plants, upgradation and construction of three specialty hospitals as these projects were initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The budget may also have emphasis on environmental measures as Chief Minister Eknath Shinde has said that air purifier towers should be installed in Mumbai like Delhi, Gurgaon, Lucknow to control pollution and air quality.

The CM also spoke about taking measures to increase urban forestry while BJP Mumbai chief Ashish Shelar has suggested an Air Quality Monitoring Commission, a time-bound response action plan, including ban on coal or wood in restaurant kitchens, appointment of an IIT committee to study measures to tackle pollution.

Last year's budget, presented by the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, had various environmental related measures as per the suggestions of then environment minister Aaditya Thackeray.

Don't fund new projects as representatives are absent: Aaditya

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray, in a letter to the civic chief, said the administration can go ahead with the budget for establishment expenses and fund ongoing projects, but no new project must be taken up in the absence of elected representatives.

The annual BMC budget is due to be presented today. Thackeray stated in the letter that in the past five months, all political parties had brought up multiple issues regarding financial indiscipline, as there are no checks for the current "opaque" methods of operation in the BMC. At present, the civic body is being run by an administration, which is also preparing the budget, as the tenures of corporators ended in March 2022.

The letter read, "In the absence of elected representatives, and having no emergencies such as the pandemic at hand, without the NDMA (National Disaster Management Act) being in force, the BMC's budget allocating funds for new projects would be an insult to the democratic values of our great nation."

He further wrote, "It will be a shock to the world that in Mumbai, an administration can carry on for a year without elected representatives, only because those in power fear holding municipal elections and allow Mumbai to suffer."

Rs 22,646 cr
Money allocated for infra in last year's budget