The Hindu 10.07.2009

Surplus budget for Raichur CMC

Staff Correspondent

Raichur: The Raichur City Municipal Council (CMC) has approved a Rs. 1.22-crore surplus budget for 2009-10 at its general body meeting here on Thursday even as the Opposition Congress councillors protested describing the budget as “anti-development”.

A. Mareppa, president of the CMC, who chaired the meeting, presented the budget. U. Malleshappa, vice-president of the CMC, and Ramachandrappa, Commissioner, were present.

There was uproar after the presentation of the budget as some of the Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) councillors argued with Mr. Mareppa alleging that he had provided false records while listing the implementation of several development works in the city.

Some councillors, including Opposition Leader G. Shivamurthy, T. Srinivas Reddy of the BJP and G. Thimma Reddy of the Janata Dal (Secular) raised objections to a remark Mr. Mareppa made while answering a question raised by Mr. Thimma Reddy.

The situation went out of control when Mr. Srinivas Reddy took a water bottle and threw it at the podium and Mr. Thimma Reddy jumped on to a table to give vent to his anger over Mr. Mareppa’s remarks.

The police had to come in to try and control Mr. Srinivas Reddy and Mr. Thimma Reddy. The situation was brought under control with the intervention of M. Eranna, BJP councillor and former president of the CMC.

Presenting the budget, Mr. Mareppa said that an income of Rs. 7.23 crore was expected for 2009-10 from property tax, water cess and other sources. The budget anticipated an expenditure of Rs. 5.40 crore towards payment of salaries to employees and Rs. 5.82 crore towards payment of electricity bill for which the CMC expected grants to be released by the Government. He said the CMC was expected to receive Rs. 25 crore from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to take up various development works in the city. It expected a grant of Rs. 5 crore from the Government for improvement of roads and land acquisition and Rs. 62 lakh from the Backward Regions Grant Fund. It also expected Rs. 85 lakh from funds allocated to elected representatives.

Giving details on the proposed implementation of the ADB-assisted project, he said that Rs. 7.30 crore was reserved for augmentation of drinking water supply, Rs. 2.50 crore for construction of storm-water drains, Rs. 3 crore for construction of open drains, Rs. 5 crore for road widening, Rs. 1 crore for construction of toilets and Rs. 1.10 crore for asphalting of existing roads.