Mumbai’s wards get less even as BMC grows

Praja-TISS report: Decrease in capex from 10% in 2021-22 to 3% by 2025-26

- Geetanjali Minhas

A Praja Foundation report on ‘Ward Wise Budget of Mumbai’, analyzing ward-wise budgets of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) from 2021-22 to 2025-26, underscores growing disparities in budget allocations across the city’s 24 administrative wards.The report, prepared in collaboration with TISS Mumbai, highlights a substantial increase in BMC’ overall expenditure along with a growing imbalance in BMC’ budget allocations to wards.

According to the report, while the BMC’s total budget saw a sharp 91% rise—from Rs 39,027 crore in 2021-22 to Rs 74,367 crore in 2025-26, the share allocated specifically to wards declined from 18% to just 11% over the same period. This trend indicates a weakening focus on decentralized, ward-level governance and financial planning.

Milind Mhaske, CEO of Praja Foundation, highlighted the disparity, saying, “Over the past five years, while the BMC budget has nearly doubled, the share allocated to wards has steadily declined. This widening gap highlights the urgent need to strengthen ward-level financial planning.”

The report reveals a significant drop in the share of capital expenditure allocated to wards from 10% in 2021-22 to just 3% by 2025-26. This is despite a 130% increase in the BMC’s overall capital expenditure during the same period. The data suggests a growing imbalance between citywide infrastructure projects and local, ward-specific needs.