Nagpur: Barely weeks after the newly elected general body of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) passed the Rs 6,202.99 crore budget for 2026-27, a fresh circular issued by the civic secretariat has triggered a political controversy. The order directs departments not to release funds under the proposed budget without prior approval of the Standing Committee chairperson, Shivani Dani-Wakhare.In a notification issued on July 15, municipal secretary Ranjana Lade stated that though budgetary provisions have been made under various heads in the proposed budget, no allocation should be released until the approved budget comes into force and without the permission of the Standing Committee chairperson. The order has been circulated to all department heads, assistant commissioners of all 10 zones, and executive engineers.The order comes while the accounts and finance department is yet to receive the special general body resolution approving the budget, delaying its implementation more than three months into the financial year.The development has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. Leader of Opposition and Congress corporator Sanjay Mahakalkar alleged that the circular would further stall development works when corporators have just resumed functioning after more than four years of administrator rule.“Four months of the financial year have already elapsed. Corporators are receiving hundreds of complaints from citizens for replacement of damaged manhole covers, road repairs, drainage works and other basic civic amenities. Such directives will only delay execution of essential works,” Mahakalkar told TOI.Sources in the civic body said departments will now be unable to process several development proposals until budgetary allocations are formally released, potentially affecting ongoing and new civic works.Senior NMC officials, however, maintained that the circular is an administrative instruction intended to ensure financial discipline and prevent expenditure beyond authorised limits until the budget formally becomes operational.
