Shiv Sena to push its poll promises in BMC budget

The proposed civic budget of Rs 25,141 crore for the financial year 2017-18, presented by Municipal Commissioner Ajoy Mehta in March, is expected to be cleared by the civic Standing Committee on Wednesday. However, Shiv Sena will be proposing budget provisions for its pet projects, which were included in its election manifesto for the BMC polls held in February but weren't mentioned in the commissioner's presentation.

The projects Shiv Sena will take up in the general body meeting on Wednesday are a theme park at Mahalaxmi race course, an international standard sports stadium, Dabbawala Bhavan in honour of the city's famed dabbawalas, a veterinary hospital, and a special hospital for treating diabetes, among others.

All the mentioned projects are included in Shiv Sena's manifesto announced before BMC elections held in February this year. Ramesh Korgaonkar, Chairman, Standing Committee, from Shiv Sena said, "The projects which were missing in the proposed budget presented by the Municipal Commissioner."

"The initial budget provisions will kick-start the projects. We will follow up the projects and further provisions can be made," Korgaonkar said.

On the significance of story:

Following the snapping of the Shiv Sena-BJP alliance for the BMC polls held in February, Shiv Sena emerged with the highest tally of seats in the BMC only by a slender margin over BJP. Shiv Sena has been trying to hold its own in the newly elected civic body, and the party attempts to assert itself by pushing through poll promises in this year's civic budget.