First time in 23 years: No GBM, JMC budget go to govt directly

For the first time in the history of Jaipur Municipal Corporation(JMC), the budget will not be passed in the General Body Meeting(GBM). The municipal budget for the financial year 2018-19 will be directly sent to the state government for the approval.

The JMC, which is busy in the preparations of Swach Survekshan-2018, ignored the orders of the Minister for Urban Development and Housing Shrichand Kriplani. Due to which the municipal corporation had to postpone the proposed GBM on February 14.

Under the provisions of the Rajasthan Municipalities Act-2009, the budget for urban bodies should be passed by February 15. After passing the budget by the urban body, it will be sent to the state government for approval. The state government may amend the budget provisions. Presently, the budget session of the assembly is going on. In many urban bodies, local legislators and MPs are members of the board. In such a situation, urban bodies cannot call the GBM during the assembly session.

Therefore, the UDH Minister Shrichand Kripalani had ordered all the urban bodies to call the GBM on February 10&11, Saturday and Sunday and pass the budget. Instead of abiding by these orders of the minister, the JMC proposed GBM on February 14. The proceedings of the assembly will be held on February 14. Therefore, the municipal corporation has to postpone GBM. JMC Commissioner Ravi Jain has issued an order to postpone the GBM. In his 14-month tenure, Mayor Ashok Lahoti has called only three meetings of general body.

While as per rules GBM should be held every 60 days. According to sources, Mayor Lahoti was not keen on calling the GBM but was forced to do so to pass the budget. Besides, the Congress, the BJP's councillors are also angry with the Mayor about the Swachh Survekshan, the formation of the functioning committees, the issue of bureaucrats and development works. In such a situation there was a possibility of a ruckus at GBM. Therefore, the date of February 14 for GBM was fixed.

There was no change in the date even after the order of the UDH Minister came. Now, GBM has been postponed and the municipal corporation will present the budget to the state government directly. For the first time in the 23-year history of the municipal corporation, the budget will be sent to the state government without passing it at the GBM.