Opposition reads fiscal fairy tale in Ludhiana MC budget.

Ludhiana: Opposition councillors have labelled a proposed ₹1,258 crore municipal budget as "unrealistic" and "mere eyewash" ahead of a high-stakes house meeting scheduled for March 24.The Ludhiana municipal corporation (MC) finalised the 2026-27 fiscal agenda this week, but critics argue the targets are mathematically impossible given the city's track record of missed benchmarks. Central to the dispute is a projected ₹195 crore property tax collection goal — a figure veteran lawmakers claim is unachievable under current economic conditions.Senior councillor Sham Sunder Malhotra of the Congress party criticised the lack of strategic depth in the proposal. "I have seen many budgets in my tenure, but this is beyond understanding," Malhotra said. "There is no point in listing targets that cannot be met." The political divide has also sparked accusations of partisan funding. BJP councillor Rohit Sikka alleged that the party in office uses high budget figures to create a false impression of progress while neglecting opposition-held wards.Procedural Silence and the DefenceCouncillor Bhupinder Kaur claimed the ruling party routinely stifles debate, often pushing through complex agendas in "less than 10 minutes". Senior deputy mayor Rakesh Prashar dismissed the criticism as routine "hue and cry", maintaining that the city possesses the latent revenue potential to meet the new targets. Opposition leaders are expected to convene on Monday to coordinate a formal challenge to the fiscal plan. MSID:: 129719520 413 |