Budget leak upsets Mayor

The opposition members, though, do not buy Satam8217;s argument and questioned the very need to keep the budget under wraps. 8220;The MiC members are unnecessarily comparing themselves to the working of the Union cabinet where a slight leak in the annual budget can rock the stock exchanges all over the country,8221; said Ramesh Joshi, thenominated councillor from the Samajwadi Party.

Joshi informed that under section 37 1d3 of the BMC Act, the MiC can formulate its own rules for the conduct of its meetings. 8220;And as per rule 62 of the MiC code of conduct, the agenda is kept confidential, and the press is not permitted to attend these meetings; which is why the budget is a big secret for them,8221; he explained.

According to Congress corporator Ravindra Pawar the MiC has opted for secrecy only to hide its flaws. 8220;The BMC is not a defence establishment that its working should not be known to the public or the hidden enemy. The shroud of secrecy is a complete farce,8221; he said.

Former municipal commissioner S S Tinaikar stated that the MiC is equivalent to the state cabinet and as such did not disclose its budget till it was placed in the Assembly. 8220;Earlier, the municipal commissioner was an independent authority with statutory authority who would place the budget in the standing committee. But on Wednesday the budget was presented bythe Finance Committee which does not have independent standing,8221; he said.