The Hindu 17.02.2014
BBMP’s ‘development-oriented’ budget to be presented today
Bangaloreans, who were disappointed that the State
Budget did not hold much for the city, are looking with hope at the
Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP). The civic body is all set to
present its budget for 2014-15 on Monday.
According
to sources, the budget will be a “development oriented” one. The outlay,
the sources claimed, will be less than Rs. 8,000 crore. Last year, the
amount was Rs. 8,519 crore.
It will focus on improvement of the city’s basic infrastructure, specially drains, footpaths and roads.
Some
of the projects that are likely to find a mention are steel bridges
between Hudson Circle and Minerva Circle, and another from Shivananda
Circle to Seshadripuram Railway Underbridge, and an elevated road
between Sony World Junction and Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala.
Funds position
The
State Budget had allocated Rs. 1,527 crore to the BBMP under various
schemes. That apart, projects worth Rs. 1,500 crore have been approved
under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.
The civic body has pending bills amounting to Rs. 2,000 crore and outstanding loans of Rs. 3,000 crore.
This
year, the BBMP hopes to garner Rs. 3,000 crore through taxes from
various sources. To improve revenue through property tax collections, a
special cell targeting high value properties has been proposed.
Sources
said that with parliamentary elections round the corner, the ruling
party in the BBMP Council is expected to announce a few populist schemes
to woo voters. Towards this end, the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided
not to increase taxes.
Though property tax rates
should have been revised, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike has
deferred the decision, sources added.
The budget will be presented by the chairperson of the BBMP’s Standing Committee for Taxation and Finance, M.S. Shivaprasad.