With Assembly elections likely between January-end and mid-February, BJP-led municipal corporations are planning to prepone the Budget sessions. Usually, the Budget process starts in the first week of December and goes on till mid-February. But this time, the Budget will be presented on November 18, 19 and 20.
Sources say BJP, which is ruling all three corporations, is in a hurry to finalise the Budget so it can announce sops just before the polls. At a time when questions are being raised about corporations’ performance, BJP is hoping to quell criticism by announcing some populist measures in its Budget.
Moreover, with AAP comparing its 49 days in power with BJP’s performance in the corporations in the last seven years, BJP has to find a way to counter its attack. The schedule however, of each municipal corporation will be announced shortly, said a senior official. Sources in the civic bodies said the dates have been advanced to make concessions for the upcoming Assembly elections.
“The Budget preparations have started and this time the sessions will happen early. The Standing Committee will present the Budget. Time constraint will not affect the factors we need to work on. The Commissioner will present the Budget on November 18,” said an official. In 2012, the winter Assembly session took place in January instead of December, which has been the practice ever since the Metropolitan Council came into being in 1966.