Checking Ward-Wise Municipal Budget and Expenditure

Key Takeaway: Citizens ask "Where did my property tax go?" Ward-wise expenditure tracking holds councillors accountable. CityFinance portal and municipal websites reveal Ward Development Fund allocation vs. works executed, exposing unutilized funds.

Municipal budgets published city-wide mask ward-level spending. Each councillor gets Ward Development Fund (₹2-5 crore) for local improvements. Tracking requires accessing ward-specific work lists.

Municipal Finance Structure

Revenue: Property tax, water/sewerage charges, state/central grants (15th FC)

Budget types:

• Revenue budget (salaries, operations)
• Capital budget (new infrastructure)
• Ward development fund (councillor discretionary)

Accessing National Data

CityFinance.in (MoHUA portal) → Select State → ULB → View budgets, audited accounts

Limitation: City-wide only, not ward-specific

Ward-Level Data

Municipal websites:

Bangalore: bbmp.gov.in
Mumbai: mcgm.gov.in
Delhi: mcdonline.nic.in

Feature: "Works Search" or "Job Code Tracking"

Enter ward number → See sanctioned works with amounts, contractors, status

Analysis Red Flags

Low utilization: ₹3 crore allocated, ₹1.2 crore works listed (₹1.8 crore missing)

Token works: Only "drain desilting" and "road resurfacing" (no durable assets)

Contractor monopoly: All 10 works to single vendor

Action Steps

RTI: Request ward fund allocation, work-wise expenditure, tender documents

Complaint: Low utilization or poor quality to Mayor/Commissioner

Ward meetings: Demand quarterly reporting

Social media: Ward-wise utilization comparison

Track ward budgets to hold councillors accountable for local infrastructure spending.

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Resources: cityfinance.in | Municipal websites