2022 Delhi civil polls: Municipal bodies look at presenting early budget

New Delhi: With civic elections due early next year, the three municipal corporations of Delhi are set to present the budget ahead of schedule. The north, south and east corporations of the city will present the budget in the last week of November, officials said. The North Delhi Municipal Corporation budget is slated to be tabled on November 25, sources said. Such a decision seems to have been taken as no new announcements can be made after the moral code of conduct kicks in, they said.

Generally, a civic body makes a slew of announcements in its budget. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has also decided to present its budget later this month, officials said. According to officials, the budget will be presented by Municipal Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti on Nov 23 instead of in December.

A senior SDMC official said the budget presentation procedure in civic bodies is slightly different from the one in state assemblies, adding that finance department in approval with the commissioner prepares budget proposals and that is presented by the commissioner.

He said the budget is then put for discussion among elected representatives in various committees of the civic body. Later leader of the House, leader of the opposition and mayor of the civic body present their views on the budget. During the last few financial years, MCD has complained of financial crises and lack of funds from the Delhi government. The BJP-led body has also struggled to pay employees in the past few months.

South MCD is set to have its budget meeting on 23 November, they will be holding the last Standing Committee of this tenure on the same day. North MCD will be hosting its budget meeting on 25 November. East MCD will be having its budget meeting on 26 November.