‘Budget allocates less for eastern areas’

Ahmedabad: On Day 2 of discussions on Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation's (AMC) Rs 18,518 crore budget of 2026-27, the opposition accused the corporation of discriminating against citizens living in eastern areas while allocating funds for basic amenities, and levelled allegations of false information regarding AMC's debt.Speaking at the general board meeting on Friday, opposition leader Shehzad Khan Pathan stated, "On Page 62 of the budget book, Rs 1,112.7 crore is shown as allocated for new development and iconic projects across seven zones. Of this, Rs 602.11 crore was allocated for 18 wards in the western region, while Rs 510.54 crore are for 30 wards in the east. This indicates that the eastern region, covering 247.45 sq km and houses 65-70% of the population, receives less funding compared to the western region, which spans 233.43 sq km and holds 30-35% of the population. There is no objection to more funds for the western region, but there is concern over the lower allocation for the eastern region." Pathan added, "The debt amount is also incorrect. As of April 1, 2026, the debt includes Rs 80.11 crore in govt loans, Rs 354.5 crore in GSFS loans, Rs 200 crore in green bonds, and Rs 350 crore in GRCP loans, totalling Rs 984.6 crore. An additional Rs 450 crore in loans will be taken, bringing the total to Rs 1,434.6 crore, with Rs 107.7 crore to be repaid during the year, showing a debt of Rs 1,326.9 crore. However, out of the World Bank loan of Rs 2,465 crore, only Rs 650 crore has been shown. This debt has been underreported by Rs 1,815 crores. Counting the World Bank's and other loans, AMC's actual total debt is Rs 3,141.88 crore."Pathan also noted that AMC has not presented annual budget reports for the past two years.