Passed in absentia, Corporation budget focuses on infrastructure

The Corporation Commissioner D Karthikeyan told DT Next the budget for the coming financial year will focus on infrastructure. “The budget will focus on the infrastructure. It will also aim to keep the deficit low.” The Corporation recorded a deficit of Rs 104.2 crore in 2016-17, while the figure stood at Rs 102.56 crore in 2017-18. Since the previous council’s term ended in 2016 and new civic polls are yet to be conducted, the budget this year has been passed in the absence of councillors. Furthermore, it has not been uploaded on public domain, a move which has been roundly criticised by residents of the city. Significantly, last year’s budget was also passed without much ado with officials citing the model code of conduct in place ahead of the RK Nagar by-polls.

Residents and former officials answer in the negative. Former Mayor M Subramaniam said that public’s requirements from the civic body have largely been ignored. Elaborating the procedure, he said, “We had committee meetings with the ward councillors and with residents welfare association representatives and local NGOs, at the zonal level. Then, a department wise meeting followed by a meeting with the heads of departments was held to find out the allocation required for projects by each department. Now, that is not possible. Obviously, the budget will not reflect the needs of the public.”

Echoing similar views, S Kumararaja, secretary, Federation of Velachery Resident Welfare Associations, said that no meetings were held with the community representatives this year. “Earlier, we had meetings with the local councillors, where we found out the allocations under each department. We were also able to give suggestions. But no such meeting has taken place since the last two years. Without the councillors, the residents’ needs are not being represented. There is a lacuna between the public and the Corporation. So, who is this budget really for?”