The common refrain during the second day of the discussions in the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike Council on Friday was once again for the budget being sent back to the Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance and then re-presented.
Janata Dal (S) Floor Leader Padmanabha Reddy said that the State Government must pay the huge, pending loans of the BBMP. “The civic authority availed itself of loans amounting to Rs. 2,600 crore during the Administrator's period. The elected representatives are not responsible for it. Hence, the Government must repay it. Also, all the works executed during that period must be investigated by the Lokayukta or a council committee,” he said.
Mr. Reddy also said that 75 per cent of the State's revenue came from the city, yet the BBMP got only Rs. 300-crore grant. He suggested that after getting a report from the Finance Department, the BBMP might seek more funds from the State Finance Commission.
N.K. Gunashekar, Jayamahal councillor, charged that the budget lacked transparency as it was presented without being discussed in the other standing committees, which still have not been formed as required under Section 6 of the KMC Act, 1976.
He said that as per the Act, the civic authority is obligated to present the budget estimates three weeks before the end of the financial year.
“Even if this budget is approved, the BBMP will not be able to implement it,” he said
