Mon Mar 24 15:46:31 UTC 2025: ## Kochi Corporation Budget 2025-26 Slammed as “Debt-Driven” by Opposition

**Kochi, March 24, 2025** – The Kochi Corporation’s 2025-26 budget has drawn sharp criticism from opposition parties, who have condemned it as a “debt- and user fee-driven” plan that will burden citizens with increased living costs.

The United Democratic Front (UDF) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) both denounced the budget at separate press conferences on Monday. UDF councillors Antony Kureethara, M.G. Aristotle, and Henry Austin highlighted the budget’s reliance on secured loans (₹40 crore) without allocating funds for repayment. They criticized the increase in revenue from fees and user charges (from ₹38 crore to ₹55 crore), the lack of funds for canal rejuvenation, and the absence of any mention of the Fort Kochi-Mattancherry heritage zone. The UDF also expressed concern over the plan to issue municipal bonds, citing the Corporation’s poor credit rating.

The BJP, represented by councillors Priya Prashanth and Sudha Dileepkumar, called the budget a disguised deficit, lacking innovative projects and relying heavily on state and central government initiatives. They pointed out the significant disparity between expected property tax revenue (₹172 crore) and outstanding arrears (₹328 crore), and criticized the dependence on entertainment tax from cinemas as the sole source of revenue in a city hosting numerous events. Both opposition groups criticized the lack of provisions for flood mitigation measures.

The Corporation, led by the Left Democratic Front (LDF), has yet to respond to the criticisms.

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