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Financial Management

Corporation Budget passed amid Opposition uproar

Wednesday, 27 March 2013 07:19 administrator
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The New Indian Express                      27.03.2013 

Corporation Budget passed amid Opposition uproar

Amid stiff opposition, Mayor Tony Chammany on Tuesday declared the Corporation Budget 2013-14 passed.

In addition to the earlier announcements, an additional budgetary allocation of `75 lakh has been made to each division. Also a decision has been made to take a loan for `10 crore to settle the debts.  The decision to declare the budget without proper discussion with the finance committee has invited severe criticism from the Opposition, following which the Mayor declared a session break and later restarted after holding talks with the finance committee.

The highlight of the budget discussion on Tuesday was the revised fund allotment of `75 lakh to each division and the settlement of debts of contractors with a loan of `10 crore. The Mayor said that importance will be given to the construction of bio toilets at all prime locations and steps will be taken to monitor waste dumping along the road.

CCTV cameras will be installed to monitor this.

A high mast light will be placed at Fort Kochi beach. The land acquisition for Piravom drinking water project will be put on a fast track and the road work in Thammanam- Pulleppady route might get delayed owing to pipe-laying projects in other parts of the  city.

He said the master plan for the pedestrian walkway will be looked into and Subhash Park will be renovated to meet international standards.

Required funds will be allotted to Shanthi Bhavan and Sneha Bhavan. The needful will be done to provide education to the children of migrant labourers.

The Rotary club has taken up the responsibility to renovate the crematorium at Ravipuram. The green signal has been given for the further discussion for smooth functioning of pre-paid autos and pre-paid taxis like other states.

 

Corporation budget passed

Wednesday, 27 March 2013 06:09 administrator
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The Hindu                           27.03.2013

Corporation budget passed

Staff Reporter 

The Kochi Corporation approved the budget for the next financial year after incorporating the objections raised by the Opposition bench.

In reply to the two-day debate, Mayor Tony Chammany said Rs.10 crore would be taken as loan from banks to clear payments due to contractors.

Councillors will be given Rs.75 lakh each as division fund to take up development projects, he said. A special meeting of the finance committee was convened ahead of the reply speech, as the Opposition had complained that the projects mentioned in the budget speech were not discussed in the committee. Councillor M. Anil Kumar raised the issue, following which the Mayor decided to disperse the council meeting and convene the committee meeting.

The Mayor told the council that a monitoring committee would be formed to supervise the activities of the solid waste treatment plant at Brahmapuram.

In response to apprehensions raised by councillors about the functioning of this proposed committee, Mr. Chammany said no step to undermine the authority of the civic body would be entertained.

Mayor also said that the fund to the tune of Rs.25 crore released by the State government would be used for widening the stretch between M.G. Road and Pullepady Bridge.

 

Proposals in Corporation Budget inadequate, says Opposition

Tuesday, 26 March 2013 07:16 administrator
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The New Indian Express                       26.03.2013

Proposals in Corporation Budget inadequate, says Opposition

The budget discussion session of the Kochi Corporation held on Monday turned out to be a stormy one with the Opposition councillors alleging that the budget presented by Deputy Mayor B Bhadra the other day has failed to address the basic issues of the city, including the potable water crisis and solid waste management.

The Opposition members alleged that the budget was prepared without discussing the proposals at the Finance Standing Committee or the steering committee meeting.

However, the Congress ‘I’ group Councillors stayed away from the discussions and remained silent throughout the session as the Mayor and his team of ‘A’ faction councillors tried to defend the budget proposals. Opposition councillor M P Maheshkumar said that most of the proposals had been included in the budget without any discussions at the Finance Standing Committee meeting. “Even in the case of the Brahmapuram Solid Waste Treatment Plant, the Mayor has misled the council by displaying some images of the garden in front of the plant. Heaps of garbage has been piled up at the plant, including plastic trash,” Maheshkumar said after tabling the images taken by the Opposition councillors.

Opposition leader K J Jacob alleged that though the budget has mooted some women-friendly projects under the ‘Sabala’ scheme, no specific fund allocation has been made in the budget.

Left Councillors M Anil Kumar, K N Sunil Kumar, C A Shakeer and P S Prakash also spoke. From the ruling front, Soumini Jain, R Thyagarajan, Asha Pious, Essy Joseph and Delina Pinheiro participated in the discussion.

The budget will be passed on Tuesday. 14 members of the Congress-I group are not likely to vote against the budget even if the Opposition demands a voting.

 
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