Tensions flared during the general meeting of Jaipur Greater Municipal Corporation on Thursday, where the budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, amounting to Rs 1189.42 crore, was presented by Finance Committee Chairperson Sheel Dhabhai.
The opposition raised concerns about the budget, calling for detailed discussions. Deputy Mayor Puneet Karnavat questioned the proceedings, asserting that the meeting was against the rules, and criticized passing the budget without thorough deliberation as undemocratic. The opposition insisted on a detailed discussion of the budget, emphasizing the need for democratic processes. Mayor Soumya Gurjar responded by stating that the Finance Committee had examined the budget, and members could provide suggestions to the committee.
A verbal altercation ensued between Deputy Mayor Puneet Karnavat and Mayor Soumya Gurjar, with Karnavat proposing the postponement of the meeting and its reconvening after January 22. He emphasized the importance of allowing sufficient time for the meeting, highlighting the undemocratic nature of passing the budget without comprehensive discussions.
Deputy Mayor Puneet Karnavat also raised concerns about the city’s cleanliness ranking, expressing disappointment at the continuous lag behind cities like Indore and Surat. Karnavat urged for a reevaluation of the strategies to improve the city’s standing in cleanliness rankings and questioned the effectiveness of the current approach, citing the substantial expenditure of over Rs 300 crore on cleanliness.
