Corporation passes budget 2023-24 amid UDF protests

KOCHI: The Kochi corporation passed the budget for 2023–24 on Thursday amid protests by Congress councillors. The UDF councillors alleged that the budget was not factual because it only included the amounts to be received by the civic body, whereas all the debts of the corporation should have been included as per the law. 

The leader of the opposition, Antony Kureethara, said that the CSML funds were also diverted and not included in the budget code.  “As per the municipal act, the grant allocated to the corporation for a particular project should be spent on it only. The mayor announced that the budget was passed, and walked out of the council hall,” said Antony.

Mayor M Anilkumar, on the other hand, stated that the budget was passed after conducting a development seminar and formulating public planning projects for the upcoming fiscal year.

“Despite a crisis in waste management following the fire at Brahmapuram and amid the protests, we could conduct a development seminar with good participation. The public planning projects for 2023-24 were formulated and the projects were approved by the district planning committee too. The council also passed the budget which includes important decisions for the development of the city,” he added.

Despite opposition towards the ruling front, the mayor claimed that opposition parties usually participate in the planning of the annual budget and developmental projects, and put forward their opinions. However, he criticised the UDF councillors for approaching the District Planning Committee to cut short the corporation’s plan fund, which is the first time in the history of the corporation that a political party has taken such an irresponsible stand.

The mayor also mentioned that Kochi is second in implementing people’s planning projects in the state and is only 1% away from securing the first position from Thrissur corporation. However, the protest against the mayor has turned into a protest against urban development, and the opposition has been criticised for taking an anti-urban approach instead of overcoming the current crisis in the waste management sector through cooperation.

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The corporation has been paying the remaining fund of land accusation at Brahmapuram in several instalments from the annual fund to the government, and the UDF councillors’ demand for more funds to be cut from the annual fund could affect the projects under the local body. 

No-confidence motion against Mayor: Discussion on April 10

A no-confidence motion against Kochi Mayor M Anilkumar will come up for discussion on April 10, 2023. The district collector issued the date for discussion following the submission of a no-confidence motion against the mayor, alleging corrupt deals in connection with the waste management projects at Brahamapuram.