CHENNAI: Several councillors flagged sharp cuts to allocations for education and health, and a steep rise in the fiscal deficit, during the Greater Chennai Corporation budget meeting for 2026-27 held on Friday at the Ripon Building.
BJP councillor Uma Anandan said capital expenditure in 2025-26 had overshot estimates by over Rs 500 crore, with more than Rs 900 crore spent on Singara Chennai 2.0 and other works.
“The State government has failed to provide adequate funds,” she added, and questioned the widening deficit, which rose from an estimated Rs 370 crore to a revised Rs 1,069 crore.
Responding, Deputy Mayor M Magesh Kumaar said the Union government’s Rs 250 crore allocation to the Corporation was still pending.
Raising concerns over storm water drain works, Anandan said nearly 60% of the previous year’s budget had been carried forward despite claims that 90% of the works had been completed, and questioned the need for over Rs 600 crore in the coming year.
She also sought clarity on PPP projects such as the Marina rope car, saying details were not clear. “The remaining works are in the core city,” replied the Deputy Mayor.
CPI councillor M Renuka said allocations for education had fallen from Rs 26.30 crore last year to Rs 11 crore in 2026-27, and flagged cuts to health and parks as well. “The deficit for 2026-27 has risen to around Rs 2,000 crore, nearly three times last year’s level,” she pointed out, and urged the civic body to focus on non-tax revenue instead of increasing property and professional taxes.
Renuka also criticised the reduction of fines for unauthorised ISP poles from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 2,000, and flagged the absence of announcements on wage hikes or regularisation of temporary workers.
CPM councillor R Jayaraman opposed PPP proposals, including Rs 110 crore for bus depot development in George Town, Kathivakkam and Thoraipakkam, arguing that such models prioritise private profit over civic revenue. “The Marina rope car project can make the beachfront less accessible and threaten the livelihoods of vendors and fishers,” he opined.
Jayaraman also called for the shutdown of the 50-tonne incinerator at Kodungaiyur, citing health and environmental risks, and urged the scrapping of the proposed 2,100-tonne facility in favour of decentralised waste management alternatives.