EBM to present budget on 17 March

MALDA, March 10: The Congress, Trinamul and BJP led English Bazaar Municipality (EBM) expects that it would be able to pass the budget for the financial year 2008-09 on 17 March without any protest from the Opposition councillors.On 7 March, when the CPI-M and its allies had made the fate of the 2008-09 budget uncertain by boycotting ‘adjourned’ meeting called by the Congress, Trinamul and BJP led Malda zilla parishad sabhadhipati, the Opposition councillors were silent and cooperated with the English Bazaar civic body chief to submit its budget for 2008-09. After submission of the budget and discussion it was decided that the civic body chief would table the budget on 17 March and seek cooperation from all councillors to pass the budget. It may be noted that the present civic board chairman does not bother to seek help from the seven rebel leaders who have been expressing ‘no confidence’ against him because of full cooperation from the Opposition.“I don't know what will be the role of seven rebel leaders but I am expecting that everyone will cooperate to pass the budget,” the civic body chief Mr Narendranath Tiwari said. According to the civic body chief, Mr Narendranath Tiwari, municipality has prepared a budget of more than Rs 24 crore in the financial year 2008-09. Last year it was more than 23 crore.“This year we have stressed on resource mobilisation from its own sources of income to run the civic body independently,” Mr Tiwari said. “Besides proposed drinking water project through surface water treatment plant we have planned to develop public service in the civic body," Mr Tiwari said. n sns