GHMC’s claims for budget allocations delayed due to absence of full time commissioner

GHMC budget estimates delayed due to absence of full-time commissioner, causing concern for timely funding allocation.

Budget estimates of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) have been delayed this year, due to absence of a full time commissioner.

IAS officer K. Ilambarithi, who was given full additional charge of GHMC, in addition to his main role as Transport commissioner, has left for Jharkhand as soon as he assumed charge, to serve as the Election Observer there.

On Monday (November 11, 2024), Mr. Ilambarithi has been given full charge as GHMC commissioner. He is expected back only after November 25, as per the official information.

The GHMC needs to furnish its budget estimates and requirements to the State government at least by February, in order to claim funding from the State budget for the coming financial year.

As per the GHMC Act, 1955, the commissioner should give the draft estimates to the Standing Committee by November 10 every year, after which the committee would pore over the document, and make necessary additions or amendments. Also to be readied are the revised estimates for the current year.

After standing committee’s approval, the estimates should be printed and sent to each member of the GHMC Council by December 15. The council in turn, would meet and debate over the estimates and give its approval by February, after which the proposals would be sent to the government.

The income and expenditure estimates for the financial year 2025-26 and the revised estimates for 2024-25 are yet to be given to the standing committee this year, due to absence of the commissioner. For the past five months, three commissioners have changed for GHMC. Ronald Rose, who was the commissioner at the time of the change in government post-Assembly elections, was replaced by Amrapali Kata in the last week of June this year.