Bringing in financial discipline and completing ongoing works are
likely to be some of the focus areas of the BBMP budget to be presented
on Monday. For the first time, the ruling BJP is presenting the budget
on time.

Speaking to Express, BBMP Standing Committee (Taxation
and Finance) chairman M S Shivaprasad, who will be presenting the
budget, said the budget size will be less compared to the previous
years.

“In my budget, we are trying to bring financial discipline. We are taking some initiatives to mobilise more revenue,” he said.

A
senior BBMP official said a high-rise building cell will be formed with
a dedicated set of officials to target properties with tax liabilities
of `1 crore and more, and collect dues and taxes from them. This will
help BBMP get more revenue.

Dr Shivaprasad said they have allotted more funds for ongoing and spillover works.

“We
announced projects in the previous years. Due to paucity of funds, we
are yet to complete them. In this year’s budget, we have focused more on
those works and allotted more funds to them. We are not taking up any
new major projects this year. It will be meaningless if we keep on
announcing new projects, and not have sufficient funds. Let us complete
the works announced earlier,” he said.

Shivaprasad said the budget has given priority to health and will also focus on the environment.

He said he was disappointed with the Chief Minister’s state budget.

“We
received only around `1,000 crore, which is not at all sufficient. We
need funds. This year, that is one of the main reasons the BBMP budget
will focus on financial discipline. If we bring some change now, it will
bring discipline in the coming years,” Shivaprasad said.