City Mayor Malini Gaud here on Thursday presented a deficit budget of Rs2,310 crore. Contrary to expectation, the budget did not turn out to be taxing as the corporation neither has imposed any new tax on the city people, nor it has made any increase in its existing taxes.
The budget which in fact was the first budget of the newly elected Municipal Council, ample provisions have been made for infrastructure development in the city including development of 29 villages which have recently been included under the jurisdiction of Indore municipal corporation. Maximum emphasis has been laid on development of city roads, sewerage and maintenance of greenery. A special fund of Rs5 crore has been earmarked for the development of central part of the city.
The budget makes a provision of Rs250 crore for construction and development of roads in the city, while a sum of Rs2 crore has been earmarked for sewerage lines.
It was first budget of newly elected city Mayor Malini Gaud. Prior to presentation of budget, heated arguments ensued between the Congress leaders and BJP Corporators over tributes paid by the Congress MlA Jeetu Patwari to those who have died in connection with the Vyapam scam. As soon as Jeetu Patwari paid tributes on suspected deaths of people in the scam, BJP Corporators stood and lodged their protest against Patwari for allegedly politicising the scam deaths and sought an apology from him. IMC chairman also asked Patwari to apologise for his caustic remarks on Vyapam related deaths. However, Patwari did not relent for the way he paid tributes to people in connection with the scam. The stormy scene continued for some time before budget proceedings were suspended for some time.