The Hindu 28.03.2013
Fishermen net a good catch in municipal Budget
No measure announced for addressing the drinking water issue.
The Alappuzha municipality Budget for 2013-14, presented by vice-chairman B.Ansari, failed to address the pressing drinking water problem, but provided some succour to the families of fishermen who were facing various issues including lack of hygiene in their areas. However, no new Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants were announced for the town, which is reeling under severe drinking water crisis. The opposition members alleged that it was a budget of ‘repetition’.
Like the previous one, this Budget also promises a private bus stand in Alappuzha. Despite the non-implementation of the earlier promise, an amount of Rs.12 lakh has been allotted for the bus stand. The surplus Budget shows a revenue of Rs. 92.41 crore including carryover from last year and an expenditure of Rs. 81.97 crore.
Mr. Ansari said the Budget will provide Rs.10 lakh for fishermen to buy fishing nets and another Rs. 10 lakh for sanitation project A total of Rs. 4 lakh has been allotted for providing bicycles to school children in the fishermen’s families and giving them solar lamps.
However, the private bus stand mentioned in the previous budget also has been allocated Rs 12 lakh.
Revenue generation
The Budget repeats the sentence in the previous Budget for finding its revenue by constructing building complexes and apartments in plots owned by the municipality and through tax collection.
The Budget also envisages a convention centre near the beach and a shopping complex at the municipality’s land in Kongini Chudukkad. An amount of Rs. 1 crore has been allocated for the shopping complex while Rs.12 lakhs was given for the convention centre. A total of Rs.50 lakh has been earmarked for demolishing the existing Sathram shopping complex and building a new one. An amount of Rs 2.5 crore has been set aside for the construction of fish market at Valiyakulam and a corpus fund of Rs 4.16 crore for road modernisation in 52 wards.
Solar energy
The municipality embraces the solar energy generation method by alloting Rs. 25 lakh for setting up solar lamps at slums in the town. The second phase of the EMS housing scheme will get Rs 7.5 crore while Rs 40 lakh will be provided for the construction of houses for mentally challenged persons. The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme will get Rs. 1.04 crore. A three-day health mela catering to all the people will be conducted by the municipality.
‘Repetitive Budget’
Opposition leader Thomas Joseph alleged that the vice-chairman presented a ‘repetitive’ budget. "The announcement of buying country boats and nets for fishermen is itself nine-years-old and the municipality was not interested in implementing the schemes announced in the Budget. The Budget was a total failure," he said.
The Public Works Standing committee chairman and LDF Parliamentary leader V.G.Vishnu said the Budget presented today was in sync with the hopes of all sections of people in the municipal area.
