Ahmedabad: The city civic body conducts an annual process to invite suggestions from citizens before preparing the next year’s budget, aiming to make the city’s development and civic amenities more effective. Continuing this tradition, as the Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC) began preparing the budget for 2026–2027, suggestions were once again invited from citizens through multiple platforms.

AMC received 2,607 suggestions for this year’s budget, 798 of which were sent by email. Among these, 1,795 suggestions (68.85%) were related to mandatory services, while 788 suggestions (30.23%) were connected to non-mandatory services. Additionally, 16 suggestions (0.61%) pertained to income or revenue generation, and 8 suggestions (0.31%) focused on service improvement.

Under the category of mandatory services, citizens primarily shared inputs on issues affecting daily urban life. Roads and walkways accounted for 487 suggestions (18%), drainage and stormwater systems for 327 (12.54%), water supply for 297 (11.39%), street lighting and the Electrical Engineering Cell for 280 (10.74%), health and sanitation or solid waste management for 110 (4.22%), and traffic and housing for 98 each (3.76%). Citizens also provided suggestions related to schools, crematoriums, fire services, bridges, and other essential facilities.

For non-mandatory services, citizens’ suggestions largely focused on city beautification, health, and public amenities. 133 suggestions (5.10%) were received regarding gardens, children’s parks, oxygen parks, and tree plantations; another 133 (5.10%) on ICDS projects; 80 (3.07%) on transportation (AMTS–AJL); 75 (2.88%) on gyms and playgrounds; and 64 (2.45%) on parking, estate management, and other urban facilities. Additionally, AMC received constructive feedback related to Smart City projects, e-governance, libraries, senior citizen parks, and community halls. A total of 16 suggestions (0.61%) were submitted for income and revenue generation, while 8 suggestions (0.31%) aimed to enhance the quality of civic services.

These figures indicate that the majority of citizens focused their suggestions on essential services such as sanitation, roads, water supply, and healthcare facilities, followed by recommendations on non-mandatory services and urban beautification.

The AMC has stated that all suggestions received from citizens will be carefully analyzed to identify areas where necessary reforms and improvements can be incorporated into the 2026–2027 budget. These citizen suggestions will prove highly valuable for the city’s holistic development. DeshGujarat