Budget proposes to generate 1 MW of solar energy on experimental basis.

The Thrissur Corporation has decided to ‘go solar’. For the first time in the State, a corporation will be actively involved in generating solar power.

Addressing the Corporation Budget meeting on Monday, Mayor I.P. Paul announced that the corporation would take up generation of 1 MW of solar energy on an experimental basis.

Large scale production would follow if the experiment proved successful, Mr. Paul said. The corporation was committed to implement sustainable development projects for improving the standard of living of the city-dwellers in a time-bound manner, the Mayor said.

At the council on Monday, Deputy Mayor Subi Babu presented the revised Budget of 2012-2013 with revenue of Rs.127.72 crore and expenditure of Rs.111.68 crore. She also presented the Budget for 2013-2014 that envisaged revenue of Rs.248.88 crore and expenditure of Rs.244.31 crore.

Like the previous one, the new budget also has given thrust on infrastructure development. It has given emphasis on development of city roads and main junctions. An amount of Rs.5 crore has been allotted for the widening of junctions in the city. The budget promises a decongested East Fort Junction by next year. The junction like West Fort, Aranattukara Thopil Junction and Divanji Junction will be developed. It has also proposed to tackle the bottleneck at Pattalam Road. Foot over bridges will be built at all busy junctions. All subways will be renovated.

An amount of Rs.5 crore has been earmarked for development of roads, including those connecting the corporation to the nearby panchayats.

Efforts will be taken to make the construction of an overbridge at Divanji Corner-State Hotel Junction a reality, the Deputy Mayor said. Another Rs.5 crore has been allotted for the construction of various bridges, including Kundupara bridge. A mobility hub will be established with the help of the government. Around 20 city services will be started soon.

Decentralised waste management would be on top of the civic bodies’ priority list, the Deputy Mayor said. Arrangements will be made to segregate plastic from waste. Dust bins will be set up at all junctions. Mini biogas plants will be made compulsory for all new buildings.

The Sakthan Heritage City will be another dream project of the corporation. The heritage city will have a state-of-the-art bus station and a multi-storeyed shopping complex, a theatre, conference hall, food court, women’s short stay centre, artisan centre, computerised public transport system, police aid centre and first-aid centre.

Hi-tech vegetable and non-vegetable markets are other important projects proposed for Sakthan Nagar. The markets would have their own waste management plants.

The corporation plans to set up 100 drinking water projects in various divisions to tackle drinking water shortage. An amount of Rs.4 crore will be used for this purpose. The budget has earmarked Rs.1 crore for cleaning public wells, ponds and other water bodies.

A host of new projects such as beautification of the city, slum development, health care, pain and palliative projects, sanitation programmes, old-age homes, environmental conservation and social welfare also figure in the Thrissur Corporation budget for 2013-14.