A common refrain during legislative sessions held in the city, is that the houses don’t discuss much about Mumbai, even when the city elects 36 MLAs and has almost a dozen representatives in the Upper House. The ongoing session isn’t much different as far as debating the city’s issues is concerned. The budget presented last week didn’t have much for the city. CM Devendra Fadnavis’ explanation is that, unlike erstwhile finance ministers, the incumbent Sudhir Mungantiwar did not include the projects undertaken by the Mumbai Metropolitan Development Authority (MMRDA). The only notable mention Mungantiwar made was a Rs 100-crore grant for the city’s Metro projects. One may not entirely disagree with Fadnavis’ emphasis on a rural-centric budget rather it is need of the hour in view of the collapsing rural economy and acute agrarian crisis. But Mumbai’s hapless junta, too, wishes that the maai-baap sarkar not leave it in the lurch.

The city did feature in some discussions in the houses, but it happened in bits and pieces, and that didn’t suffice for major policy decisions to come through. The city is plagued with poor infrastructure; crimes against women are on the rise; public transport and basic civic amenities are inadequate... the list just goes on.