Urban News

The Hindu 19.03.2010

Municipal budget focusses on infrastructure

Special Correspondent

KANNUR: Schemes for a comprehensive drainage facility for this town, installation of a garbage treatment plant, renovation of the drinking water supply pipeline and improvement of road traffic were among the highlights of the Kannur Municipality's budget for 2010-11, which envisaged a surplus of Rs.3,81,31,931. It projects a total revenue of Rs.50,08,31,931 and a total expenditure of Rs.46,27,00,000.

The budget, presented by municipal vice-chairman M. Purushothaman at the council meeting in Kannur on Thursday, stressed on improving infrastructure. The budget, the fifth after the current council took over administration, also gives priority to welfare schemes.

Mr. Purushothaman said that four infrastructure projects, proposed to be implemented this year under the Urban Infrastructure Development Scheme for Small and Medium Towns (UIDMMST), would receive a Central grant of Rs.70 crore.

The work on an integrated drainage facility for the town was in its final phase, Mr. Purushothaman said, adding that a treatment plant would be set up at Padannappalam. The Kerala Water Authority's consultancy wing WASCON would submit a report of the project which is estimated at Rs.25 crore.

An outlay of Rs.2.5 crore was set apart for the project in the budget. The Rs.35-crore project for replacing the existing water supply pipeline under the UDMMST would also include construction of new overhead tanks at Kodaparamba, Kazanakotta and Sree Narayana Park, Mr. Purushothaman said.

The project for setting up a modern solid waste treatment plant at Chelora was in progress.

The budget also earmarks Rs.7.5 lakh for the proposed slaughterhouse at Marakkarkandy estimated at Rs.75 lakh.

Minorities' welfare

The municipality would spend Rs.4.20 crore on housing schemes under the Central government's Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme and the State government's EMS Housing Scheme. The budget also allocates Rs.10 lakh for minorities' welfare activities recommended by the Sachaar Commission. To improve road traffic facilities, the budget proposes projects such as a bypass road linking Kizhuthalli, Chovva Spinning Mill, Ayikkara and Chalad, widening of Thayatheru-Kannur city road, installation of traffic lights and construction of 18 hi-tech bus shelters through sponsorship and extension of footpath renovation scheme to the Fort Road and Station Road. An amount of Rs.1.25 crore has been earmarked for conservation of drinking water resources including Anakkulam here. The other highlights are a Rs.15-lakh project for a comfort station for women, allocation of Rs.1 crore for new municipal office construction and Rs.30 lakh for construction of the new Town Hall.

The Hindu 18.03.2010

Civic body approves surplus budget

Staff Reporter

Photo: A.V.G. Prasad

Few takers: Most of the chairs remained unoccupied even as the Municipal Corporation of Eluru adopts its annual budget on Wednesday. —

ELURU: Apathy by council members marked the budget presentation made by the Municipal Corporation of Eluru (MCE) for 2010-11 on Wednesday, which happened to be the last feat during its five-year term coming to a close in the next five months. Even as the MCE had approved a surplus budget with an opening balance of Rs 6.06 crore with little discussion, nearly half the chairs reserved for the members from both the Opposition and treasury benches in the council hall were seen empty. It was conspicuous that the Opposition TDP members en masse played truant from the crucial session. Barring the expression of opinions by a couple of independent members, the budget was passed with hardly any debate.

The MCE's receipts were estimated to be at Rs 63.26 crore, excluding the opening balance, as against the expenditure projected at Rs 66.29 crore during the year. The municipal corporation is aimed at mobilising Rs 11.87 crore in the form of property taxes, Rs 40 crore as grants and loans from the State and Central governments, among others. It has been programmed to spend Rs 6.42 crore for improvement of drinking water and drainage systems, Rs. 54.59 lakh for urban planning, Rs. 6.9 crore for roads and Rs 1.4 crore for street lighting. Besides, the school education receives Rs 24.80 lakh.

Draws flak

Meanwhile, the Congress-ruled municipal corporation drew the flak from the independent members for its reported poor show with respect to mopping up of revenues under the heads of profession tax and property tax. Incidentally, there is no mention of revenues in the budget estimates to be collected in the form of compensation on profession tax and property tax. Independent members, Arnepalli Madhu and Majji Kanta Rao made a spirited criticism against the municipal corporation for preparing a budget which was ‘far from reality'. The budget, showing more expenditure and less revenues during the year, depicted the poor financial health of the municipal corporation, Mr. Madhu said. Observing that the municipal corporation had miserably failed to get even a single pie from the State and Central governments in spite of its expectations to receive Rs 85 crore in the form of grants during the previous financial year, he raised serious doubts over the realisation of the MCE's expectation of garnering Rs 40 crore as grants in the coming financial year.