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Municipal Finance

Corporators hike own pay by 300%

Thursday, 30 September 2010 06:40 administrator
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The Deccan Chronicle  30.09.2010

Corporators hike own pay by 300% 

Sept. 29: The standing committee of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation led by the mayor, Ms Kartika Reddy, on Wednesday unanimously approved a proposal to hike salaries of 148 corporators, deputy mayor and mayor by 300 per cent.

This will impose an additional financial burden of Rs1.47 crore per annum on the cash-starved corporation’s exchequer. This is second time in just three months that the standing committee had showered largesse on the corporators. It had earlier given them Internet-enabled laptops and printers causing a burden of `1 crore.

Interestingly, the GHMC recently approached banks to obtain a loan of `600 crore to complete various civic infrastructure projects. It was the same standing committee which approved the move to take the loan while rejecting a proposal to hike property tax to repay it.

The GHMC secretary, Mr M.S.S. Somaraju, said that the committee chaired by the mayor and comprising 15 corporators passed the salary hike proposal in the meeting on Wednesday. Presently, the corporators get a salary of Rs 4,000, the deputy mayor Rs8,000 and the mayor Rs14,000.

“Now, it has been hiked to Rs12,000 per month for corporators, Rs24,000 per month for deputy mayor and Rs42,000 per month for the mayor,” the GHMC secretary said. The resolution on salary hike would be sent to the state government for its final approval.
The hike approved by the standing committee takes the mayor’s salary to the level of junior IAS officer working as deputy collector or collector. Of course, the IAS officers get other allowances too.

Under pressure from TD corporators, who staged a dharna in front of the mayor's chambers, the standing committee also decided to ask officials to not to levy 200 per cent penalty on those violating building laws envisaged in G.O. 86.

Last Updated on Thursday, 30 September 2010 06:43
 

MMRDA ready to lend money to civic body

Tuesday, 28 September 2010 11:32 administrator
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Hindustan Times  28.09.2010

MMRDA ready to lend money to civic body

In a move, which shows thawing of relationship between the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority  (MMRDA) and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the former has shown willingness to bail out the cash-strapped BMC with financial support in the form of a loan. “We are willing to give loan to the BMC for infrastructure works in Mumbai. We have asked them to give us a presentation on their requirements and we would loan them money for improving infrastructure,” Metropolitan Commissioner Ratnakar Gaikwad said.

The BMC’s Rs 20,417 crore budget announced this year comes with a loan burden of Rs 6,000 crore, required to complete projects.

The BMC admitted that its “financial condition is not robust enough” to perform discretionary duties such as beautification and development.

The BMC has withdrawn a loan of Rs 3,105 crore and was looking at raising an additional loan of Rs 3,000 crore.

Last Updated on Tuesday, 28 September 2010 11:39
 

Ward level budget works on track: Zagade

Friday, 17 September 2010 11:38 administrator
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The Times of India  17.09.2010

Ward level budget works on track: Zagade

PUNE: The municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade assured the standing committee of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) that the execution of budget works at the ward level was satisfactory and the civic administration was confident of completing the works as per the schedule.

"The standing committee recently reviewed the budget execution works and the municipal commissioner said that at ward levels nearly 80-90 per cent work process has started and tenders and estimates are ready. The standing committee also asked the municipal commissioner to expedite the other budget works," said Nilesh Nikam, leader of the house in the PMC.

Nikam said that the standing committee had decided that party leaders should decide the fate of municipal commissioner Mahesh Zagade's proposal suggesting a three per cent cut in capital works proposed in the 2010-11 budget to pay for the works of the previous year.

The civic administration has admitted before the standing committee that the PMC has issued tenders for works worth Rs 852 crore, while the already committed expenses of the civic body is Rs 1,300 crore. This takes the total expenditure to above Rs 2,100 crore.

However, the civic body's total income last year was just Rs 1,951.54 crore. In its Rs 3,196-crore budget for the year 2010-11, the PMC has earmarked Rs 1,987 crore (44 per cent) for capital expenditure and development work.

Zagade's proposal stated that the PMC has to make payments worth Rs 28 crore for the works mentioned in the budget for 2009-10. He has proposed cuts in ward level works.

"After a review of income and expenditure we are hopeful that there would be need to cut ward level budget to complete last year's pending works," said Nikam.
Last Updated on Friday, 17 September 2010 11:40
 
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