The Hindu        29.03.2011

Rs. 40.62-lakh surplus budget for Chitradurga

CMC plans to construct more commercial complexes

The Chitradurga City Municipal Council (CMC) has presented a budget with a surplus of Rs. 40.62 lakh for 2011-12.

CMC president Sunita Mallikarjun, who presented the budget here on Monday, said that the municipal council had an opening balance of Rs. 8.25 crore. Total receipts from various sources for the current fiscal would be Rs. 49.59 crore and expenditure Rs. 49.19 crore.

Revenue and capital receipts would be Rs. 31.69 crore and revenue and capital expenditure Rs. 26.33 crore. The suspense account receipt would be Rs. 9.65 crore and expenditure Rs. 10.55 crore, she said. With regard to drinking water facilities under the Backward Regions Grant Fund (BRGF), she said that the Union Government had released Rs. 93.4 lakh. A part of this had been utilised for supplying drinking water from the Shanti Sagar dam and Rs. 40 lakh would be utilised for installing an express feeder line for uninterrupted power supply to the drinking water supply unit. Tenders had been invited to implement this project, she said.

Of the Rs. 98.68 lakh expected from the Government under 13th Finance Commission grants, only Rs. 49.84 lakh bad been received so far. Hoping that the remainder would be received soon, tenders for several development projects worth around Rs. 74.76 lakh had been invited. The projects include construction of storm-water drains, installation of electricity poles and construction of parks, she said.

Collection of property tax was expected to be around Rs. 4.25 crore and water tax Rs. 2 crore.

“The increase in water tax collection can be attributed to the steps initiated by the municipal council for regularising several water connections, plugging pilferage and removing all public taps,” she said.

The CMC would get Rs. 40 lakh from its commercial complexes. There was an opening balance of Rs. 80 lakh in the industrial funds account. The amount accruing from these accounts (Rs. 1.2 crore) would be used for constructing new complexes in different parts of Chitradurga city.

“The CMC has reserved Rs. 70 lakh for drinking water supply and Rs. 70 lakh for construction of underground drains,” she said. The Government had been requested to grant Rs. 1.5 crore for constructing two overhead water tanks in the city, she said.

The CMC planned to develop five parks in various locations, she said.

Municipal Commissioner Vijay Kumar and vice-president Allah Baksha were present.