BMC's Rs 33,441-crore budget gets nod at virtual meeting

This was for the first time when an annual budget of the BMC, India's richest civic body, was approved at a general body meeting conducted through video conferencing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. "No cuts have been made in the health department's budget.

After a gap of almost five months, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) annual budget of Rs 33,441 crore finally got approval without any cuts at a general body meeting held on Thursday. This was for the first time when an annual budget of the BMC, India's richest civic body, was approved at a general body meeting conducted through video conferencing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"No cuts have been made in the health department's budget. t the same time, no reduction has been made in the provision of ongoing development works," the said BMC, which is spearheading Mumbai's response to COVID-19. Mayor Kishori Pednekar chaired the virtual meeting that approved the annual budget for 2020-21.

The BMC's annual budget was sanctioned in March, but it was awaiting final approval for which the general body meeting could not take place due to the coronavirus outbreak. According to the Shiv Sena-ruled BMC, thegeneral body meeting to approve the budget was held through video conferencing after obtaining approval for the same from the Maharashtra government.