The Times of India  12.08.2010

BBMP budget misses muhurat yet again

BANGALORE: Will the BBMP budget be presented on August 16? No. It's been postponed again.

First it was Ashada (inauspicious month), now one reason is the festival season with the auspicious Shravana month setting in.

Actually it is complete lack of coordination between departments that has forced the BBMP to postpone the budget once again.

It was only last week that mayor S K Nataraj announced that the much-delayed budget will be out on August 16. Corporators across wards are crying for funds to take up development works. "Our hands are tied because we cannot take up any new works in the absence of budgetary allocation.''

What is shocking is the main reason for the delay: The `budget makers' have not got the administration reports, audit reports and annual work reports of the last three years which are crucial for the preparation of the budget.

And none other than the mayor admitted this: "These reports have not been submitted to the Tax and Finance standing committee. This is one of the causes for the delay in budget. But we are making all our efforts to table the budget at the earliest."

According to Tax and Finance committeechairman P M Sadashiva, the budget would be a reality only after August 20. "But there are a series of festivals and holidays during the third week of August with the coming of Shravana. We are yet to zero in on the date for the budget day," he said.

The fresh dates according to the mayor may be August 18 or 23. "There are festivals like Varamahalakshmi vratha observed in between these days. Thus the dates are yet to be finalized," the mayor said.

NO MONEY

BBMP's treasure chest is almost empty with over Rs 3,500 crore of pending bills and Rs 2,334 of loan obtained by BBMP from various financial institutions in the previous year

LAKES DEVELOPMENT

BBMP budget is likely to allocate Rs 150 crore for the development of 125 lakes which are located in the newly added areas. The fund will be called Mega city fund.

Quote hanger

"Why should the budget actually be made after about four months of the BBMP elections? Precious time is lost already. I have no trust in the mayor. He is only a puppet in the hands of the cabinet ministers. Thanks to the mayor, BBMP has become superstitious that they may announce the budget just before the full moon day!"

__ M Nagaraj, opposition party leader (Congress), BBMP council