Speaking on behalf of the local authority with which I have been associated, namely, the Bombay Municipal Corporation, the Bombay Municipal Corporation has been carrying on a controversy with the Bombay Government since many years to augment its sources of revenue. That controversy is still not at an end. Only recently the Bombay Government appointed a committee with Mr. A. D. Shroff as President to consider the question of giving additional sources of revenue to the Corporation. After all, the sources of revenue of a local body are very limited and also very inelastic. The local body has merely to tax within the four corners of the Act which enables it to tax. The Centre can tax to an unlimited degree. The liabilities and responsibilities of local authorities are increasing and also their expenditure. The Bombay Municipal Corporation, though it is supposed to be one of the richest Corporations, is finding it difficult to make both ends meet. Last year the Bombay Government was pleased to give Rs.50 lakhs as a grant to meet its deficit and similarly this year also they gave given Rs.50 lakhs. That is possible because the Congress Government in the province is sympathetic and the Congress party is in majority in the Corporation and each of them work in co-operation. But I submit that the local authority should not be left in the position of having to beg every time. Nothing should therefore be done to deprive the local authorities of their legitimate sources of revenue. I am sure it is not the intention of article 264 to starve the local authorities and I would be glad if the Honourable the Finance Minister can give an assurance on that point.