The Hindu 03.03.2011
Ambattur Municipality allots extra funds for two projects
To provide underground drainage and water supply networks
The Ambattur Municipality has allocated additional funds for two major
ongoing projects — to provide underground drainage and water supply
networks — in its budget for 2011-12.
Officials of the Ambattur Municipality said the budget
allocation for both the schemes works out to Rs.208.60 crore compared to
Rs.48.75 crore last fiscal. The allocation also includes fund from the
State and Central governments under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban
Renewal Mission.
However, the poor response to the deposit collection for
the schemes is proving to be an impediment in the speedy execution of
the projects.
While 50 per cent of the project cost would be from the
government, the remaining 50 per cent would be raised by way of the
deposit charges from the consumers and the funds of the local body. The
municipality has estimated to collect a deposit amount totalling Rs.66
crore from nearly 90,000 assesses. While the underground drainage
network being taken up in three phases is proposed to be completed July
2012, work on the water supply network is in full swing and expected to
be finished by this year-end.
In its budget for 2011-12, presented recently, the local
body proposed an expenditure of Rs.322.75 crore and revenue of
Rs.322.87 crore. This is significantly higher considering that the
revenue in the current fiscal of the local body would be nearly Rs.126
crore.
Officials of the municipality said the grant and loan
obtained for the projects formed a major share of the income. Unlike the
earlier years, the municipality is confident that it would be able to
improve its revenue collection. Of the total property tax demand for
2010-11 of Rs.50 crore, nearly Rs.30 crore has been collected as on
date.
Priorities have been given to improving infrastructure
in schools and health posts. An additional Rs.1.50 crore has been
allocated towards new classrooms and purchase of computers and furniture
in the 20 schools under the municipality.
Similarly, Rs.7.18 crore has been proposed to be spent
for laying new roads against Rs.6.10 crore allocated in 2010-11, an
official said.