The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will present its budget for 2023-24 on Feb 2 at its headquarters. This is the first time in almost 38 years that the BMC administrator will present and approve the budget.
Since the corporation’s term lapsed in March last year, Iqbal Singh Chahal has been handling its affairs.
As per the Mumbai Municipal Corporation Act, the BMC has to present its budget before Feb 5.
Allegations of government interference
Sources alleged that the State Government currently has indirect control on the civic body in the absence of a standing committee. They also said there would be the government’s imprint on this year’s budget.
Last year, the BMC had presented a budget of ₹45,949.21 crore, which may increase this year by ₹4500 crore, taking it to around ₹50,000 crore.
Infra key to plans for changing the face of Mumbai
On Jan 19, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated various infrastructure projects in the city, and is expected to visit Mumbai again next month. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who holds the Urban Development portfolio and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who holds the Home, Housing and Finance departments, have held a series of meetings on developments in the city and intend to give it a major facelift in the next two to three years.
This year, a substantial provision will be made in the budget for infrastructure and health. Last year, considering the Covid-19 situation and to start HBT (Hinduhridayasamrat Balasaheb Thackeray) health centers, the BMC had increased its health budget by 15% and made provision for additional ₹1,800 crore for the health sector.
Coastal road to transform connectivity
Moreover, many development projects like the coastal road, road concreting, construction of new flyover bridges to decongest the city and construction of the Goregaon-Mulund Link Road are underway, which will further require thousands of crores.
Apart from health and infrastructure, a substantial provision will be made for education, too. BMC schools have adopted ICSE,CBSE, International and Cambridge education patterns and several civic school buildings have been repaired, with additional emphasis on digital class rooms. Therefore, there are chances of more budgetary provision in this sector. The last year’s education budget was ₹3,370.24 crore.
The zero-garbage mission by 2030, and measures to prevent water-logging during monsoon by constructing new drainage lines and desilting the nullahs and rivers would also require monetary impetus.
