Nagpur: Rajkumar Kusumbe, Chairman of Finance Committee of Nagpur Zilla Parishad (ZP), presented a Budget of Rs 40.69 crore for the year 2023-24. The budget meeting witnessed stormy scenes with heated exchange of words between the Ruling and the Opposition sides, leading to the Opposition members staging a walk-out and the Ruling side announcing that the budget was passed with ‘majority vote’.
Kusumbe’s budget drew sharp criticism from the Opposition members, who alleged that the budget was ‘driven by the interest of contractors’ and there was nothing ‘of public interest’. The Ruling side countered the criticism by saying that the Opposition members had nothing constructive to offer and hence, were happy with criticism.
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Tuesday 12 Nov. 2024
Stating that ZP was coming out of shadow cast by COVID19 pandemic in the past couple of years, Kusumbe informed ZP House that he had tried to present a ‘realistic’ budget while avoiding matters that would create‘ inflated and unrealistic liabilities’ on ZP. “I have tried to strike a balance between the projected receipt of revenue and expectations for development,” he said, while presenting the budget in Abasaheb Khedkar Sabhagruha in ZP here on Friday.
Mukta Kokadde, President of ZP, chaired the special general meeting. Kunda Raut, Vice President; Saumya Sharma, Chief Executive Officer(CEO); Avantika Lekurwale, Chairperson of Woman and Child Welfare Committee; Pravin Jodh, Chairman of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Committee; Milind Sutey, Chairman of Social Welfare Committee; Varsha Gaurkar, Additional CEO; Manoj Goswami, Chief Accounts and Finance Officer, shared the dais on this occasion.
Kusumbe also presented the revised estimates of ZP Cess Fund Budget for the current financial year 2022-23. The revised estimates of budget for 2022-23 place the total revenue expenditure at Rs 42.88 crore with Rs 3.21 lakh as balance amount. The Opposition members, including Atish Umre, Leader of Opposition; Nana Kambhale, Congress rebel; Sanjay Zade belonging to Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena (Shinde Group) led the charge and flayed the budget for 2023-24.
Kambhale stuck to seeking an explanation why so much allocation for construction and repairs was needed. He also asked why a decision taken in a committee meeting changed while finalising the budget. Further, he also questioned the fiscal prudence in allocating Rs 20 lakh for Sarpanch Bhavan construction, when already Rs 1 crore was spent on the same so far.
The Ruling side also adopted an aggressive stance. There was heated exchange of words during the meeting. It took a different turn when Kambhale lost his cool, threw the budget papers in the well of the House, and threw the microphone on the floor while leaving the House. Expressing disapproval of the budget, Umre announced that the Opposition was staging a walk-out. Kunda Raut called Dinesh Dhole to the dais. Following their conversation, Dhole demanded suspension of Kambhale over use of ‘indecent language’ and causing loss to ZP’s property.
Rashmi Barve, former ZP President and Congress member, seconded Dhole. Kokadde then asked the administration to send a proposal regarding Kambhale’s suspension to the Divisional Commissioner. After that, Kokadde announced that the budget was passed ‘with majority vote’. Later on, the Ruling side members continued with the general meeting discussing various other matters.
