The Hindu                     13.02.2013

It’s pro-development, says ruling party

Opposition members term it an ‘election budget’

Ruling party members have hailed the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation budget for 2013-14 as being “pro-development”. However, Opposition members have termed it an “election budget”, aimed at wooing voters.

‘Lacks vision’

Leader of the Opposition Dasharath Wali said that the budget was lacking in many aspects and several projects that were required for the development of the twin cities had been left out. He said that his party was opposed to accepting the budget as it “lacked vision and left out crucial matters”.

JD(S) councillor Saroja felt that more funds should have been earmarked for development of villages in HDMC limits and also for development and repair of nalas in the twin cities.

BJP councillors, who have identified themselves with the Karnataka Janata Paksha, Venkatesh Mestri and Ashok Niduvani also termed it as “election budget”. They added that along with Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar’s name, the former Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa’s name too should have been mentioned in the budget speech as he had allocated special grants for Hubli-Dharwad.

Raising objections to several points in the budget, the former Opposition leader Ganesh Tagargunti took exception to the “lackadaisical” attitude of the officials who, he said, were not interested in tapping existing revenue potentials. He suggested modifications in a few of the schemes mentioned in the budget.

‘Create land bank’

JD(S) councillor Rajanna Koravi stressed the need to create a land bank in villages that are in HDMC limits, keeping in mind the future infrastructural needs of the twin cities.

Several councillors suggested modifications in the budget proposals.

The former Opposition leader Deepak Chinchore had a verbal altercation with Mayor Pandurang Patil and the former Mayor Viranna Savadi alleging that the corporation was collecting excess taxes from citizens.

Subsequently, he took exception to a remark by the former Mayor Viranna Savadi and staged a walkout.

Mr. Savadi too suggested some modifications in the proposals after which Dr. Patil directed the officials to make modifications as suggested by the councillors before sending it to the government.