The Hindu 23.03.2011
Budget proposes revenue of Rs.210.35 crore
No fresh proposals in view of model code of conduct
Deputy Mayor P.T. Abdul Latheef, who is also the Finance standing committee chairman, on Tuesday, presented the budget proposals of the city Corporation for 2011-12 at the council hall here.
The budget proposes a revenue of Rs.210.35 crore and an expenditure of Rs.196.57 crore, with a surplus of Rs.13.78 crore. The revenue comprises a carryover of Rs.14.81 crore from last year's budget, a revenue account of Rs.108.54 crore and a capital account of Rs.86.98 crore.
The proposed account expenditure is Rs.92.26 crore and capital expenditure Rs.104. 48 crore.
Prof. Latheef also presented the revised budget with a revenue of Rs.133.41 crore and expenditure of Rs.118.59 crore for 2010-11.
There were no new proposals in the budget in view of the model code of conduct imposed by the Election Commission. However, the budget set aside allocations for various segments, including maintenance of roads and buildings, sanitation works and productive purposes.
The outlay proposed in the revenue expenditure for road maintenance is Rs.34.74 crore; building maintenance, Rs 2.07 crore; parks and ponds, Rs.52 lakh; drinking water, Rs.15 lakh; drainage, Rs.11 lakh; sanitation, Rs.23 lakh; street lights, Rs.52 lakh; productive schemes, Rs.1.8 crore and repair of immovable properties of erstwhile Elathur, Beypore and Cheruvannur-Nallalam grama panchayats, Rs.4.73 crore.
The proposed capital expenditure in various sectors are maintenance of office buildings, Rs.1.93 crore; road construction, Rs.46.67 lakh; tarring and concreting of roads, Rs.8.99 crore; municipal governance, Rs.18.9 crore; drainage, Rs.29.52 lakh; poverty alleviation, Rs.80 lakh; crematorium, Rs.47 lakh and stadium, Rs.14 lakh.
The civic body expected to obtain a sum of Rs.22.05 crore from property tax, one of the top revenue earners. The other revenues are likely to come from professional tax, Rs.13 crore; rental fee from buildings and land, Rs.11.25 crore; advertisement, Rs.1 crore; Dangerous and Offence Trade Licence, Rs.1.65 crore; bus stand fee, Rs. 50 lakh; and construction of building, Rs.70 lakh.
Prof. Latheef said the participation of the State government and the Centre was inevitable for the comprehensive development of the city. All these years, the civic body had successfully implemented the schemes of the State government and Centre.
The Corporation had submitted a Rs.1.64-crore project under the Service Level Benchmarking in e-governance of the Union Ministry of Urban Development. The Centre had allotted Rs.49.2 lakh as first tranche.
The civic body had also prepared the City Development Plan to avail itself of the benefits under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission, he said.
In her introductory address, Mayor A.K. Premajam said the previous council had taken steps to obtain funds for schemes drawn up by the Centre for municipal corporations. The City Development Plan would cover the city, including Beypore, Nallalam-Cheruvannur and Elathur grama panchayats that were recently merged with the Corporation and the Olavanna grama panchayat on the outskirts of the city. The total population was 6.57 lakh in the 140-sq.km area.
Better governance
However, municipal governance needed some more improvements, especially the interface between officials and the people. The cooperation of all councillors was required to bring in developments, Prof. Premajam said.
