Model Code of Conduct for panchayat polls may delay GHMC budget

HYDERABAD: With Telangana State Election Commission announcing three-phase polls for Gram Panchayats on January 21, 25 and 30 and Model Code of Conduct (MCC)  in force till the election process is completed, there is uncertainty over the approval for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) budget for the year 2019-20.

As per the GHMC Act, the draft annual budget prepared by the GHMC officials has to be approved by the GHMC Standing Committee as well as the GHMC General Body by making the required changes in the draft budget before January 10 every year. After getting approval from GHMC Council, it has to be sent to the State government for ratification. But this time there would be an inordinate delay in getting the draft budget approved because of the ensuing panchayat polls as the GHMC covers Rangareddy, Medchal-Malkajgiri and Sangareddy districts where polls would be held for gram panchayats.

Doubts are also being raised if GHMC would get the budget approved even in February. The GHMC placed the proposals before the Standing Committee chaired by Mayor Bonthu Rammohan on December 20 last year with budget estimates of Rs 11,538 crore for two separate categories for the year 2019-20 as against Rs 13,150 crore for 2018-19.

Separate budgets were proposed for major projects of other corporations assigned to GHMC like Telangana Housing Corporation for construction of 2 BHK houses and Hyderabad Road Development Corporation Limited for laying of roads. Now that proposals have been placed before the Standing Committee, the members have to study them and make any changes in the draft budget by allocating more funds.