10 Mar 2020  |   05:40am IST

CCP postpones Budget 2020-21 presentation

With poll to elect new Mayor on March 12, corporators object to passing of financial statement

Team Herald

PANJIM: The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) on Monday postponed the presentation of Budget 2020-21 after corporators objected to passing of the financial statement when the poll to elect the new Mayor is due on March 12. 

Mayor Uday Madkaikar had called for Budget meeting on Monday. As the meeting commenced, the corporators including Surendra Furtado, Rupesh Halarnkar and Pundalik Raut Desai raised strong objection to tabling of the Budget in hurry when the new Mayor is slated to be elected on March 12. 

The corporators questioned the reason behind placing and passing of the Budget 2020-21, when the process to elect the new Mayor is on. The corporators also pointed out that the Budget was not placed before the Standing Committee for approval. 

Mayor had a heated argument with the corporators, justifying that the Standing Committee has already approved the Budget and an unofficial council meeting was also called on March 6 to discuss the Budget. Amidst chaos, Commissioner Sanjit Rodrigues announced to postpone the tabling and passing of the Budget. 

He said that council can have an internal meeting to discuss on the Budget and the suggestions can be incorporated in the final Budget. The Corporation will elect its new Mayor and Deputy Mayor on March 12. The last date for filing nominations is March 11. 

The year-long tenure of Mayor Madkaikar and Deputy Mayor Pascoala Mascarenhas ends this month.