The Hindu 01.04.2010
Plethora of development works for Vellore
Special Correspondent
| “Budget incorporating utilisation goals” presented |
Basic facilities at Town Bus Stand to be improved at a cost of Rs.40 lakh
Works to mitigate water scarcity
to cost Rs. 120 lakh
VELLORE: The completion of the new building of the Vellore Corporation, establishment of a library for students in higher education, completion of a gassifier crematorium on the banks of the Palar, construction of officers' quarters, establishment of tourist infrastructure near the Otteri lake, execution of drinking water augmentation schemes, improvement of facilities in town bus stand and modernisation of solid waste management system are among development works to be taken up by the Vellore Corporation. These would be carried out at a cost of Rs.44.77 crore in 2010-11, as mentioned in the Corporation's annual budget for 2010-11.
Mayor P. Karthikeyan released the budget at a monthly meeting of the Corporation council here on Wednesday.
The budget described as a “budget incorporating utilisation goals,” provides for total receipts of Rs.7203.01 lakh and expenditure of Rs.7264.07 lakh, entailing a deficit of Rs.61.06 lakh, which the Corporation seeks to finance through identification of profession tax assessees left out in the assessment in earlier years and levying tax on them, through the levy of tax on vacant house sites in the newly regularised layouts and with the help of additional funds from the government.
The Corporation proposed to complete by June 2010 the ongoing work of construction of the new five-storeyed Corporation building (including the ground floor) which has been taken up at a cost of Rs.4.98 crore on an area of one-lakh square foot on the premises of the erstwhile travellers bungalow. Quarters are being constructed for the Corproation Commissioner and the Corporation Engineer at Rs.20 lakh each at Karar Krishnasamy Street, and for the Corporation Health Officer, Town Planning Officer and Assistant Engineer at Rs.16 lakh each on Post Office Road. Works are to be taken up in 2010-11 for the construction of new quarters for other officers and the renovation of old quarters at a total cost of Rs.50 lakh.
The new library is being constructed at a cost of Rs.9.50 lakh from the Education Fund to benefit students of higher education. The library, would include facilities for obtaining information online and through compact discs, and would be equipped with books and computers.
Under health, the Corporation proposes to undertake development works and purchase modern equipment totally worth Rs.20 lakh at the Maternity and Child Welfare Centres in Ambedkar Nagar and Kasba.
It has been planned to construct public sanitary complexes worth Rs.9 lakh in Kasba and Salavanpettai and to undertaken maintenance of the existing toilets at a cost of Rs.20 lakh during the coming financial year. Of the 15 parks in Vellore Corporation area, the parks in L.I.C. Colony, Vasanthapuram, Poonthottam and Muthanna Nagar would be developed at a total cost of Rs.50 lakh by providing grass surface, walking pathways, children's play areas and fountains under the government's one-time special grant scheme.
Similar facilities are to be provided in the parks in Bishop David Nagar, New Bypass Road (behind Hotel Mount Paradise) and Jabbar Thoppu at a total cost of Rs.30 lakh under the basic amenities scheme.
Under the tourism development scheme, the Corporation has proposed to establish a 500-metre-long park with children's play area at the Otteri Lake at a cost of Rs.120 lakh. The remaining seven parks would be developed at a cost of Rs.20 lakh each.
The basic facilities for passengers in the Town Bus Stand (Old Bus Stand) in Vellore would be improved at a cost of Rs.40 lakh. The works to be carried out in the Town Bus Stand include provision of seats, electric facilities, high mast lights, fixing tiles for the surface and walls, provision of drinking water and construction of modern toilets. The Budget has provided for the upgradation of roads at a cost of Rs.382.05 lakh in the 28 wards where the underground drainage scheme (UGS) is being implemented, after the completion of the UGS.
Culverts would be constructed at a cost of Rs.60.90 lakh and stormwater drains dug at a cost of Rs.195.70 lakh. Desilting and repair of drainage channels would be undertaken for a length of 650 metres in Officers' Line at a cost of Rs.50 lakh under the second phase of the Basic Amenities Scheme.
Desilting and repair works to the tune of Rs.150 lakh for a length of 1200 metres are currently in progress under the first phase of the scheme in Officers' Line.
Vehicles and other equipment for solid waste management would be purchased at a cost of Rs.150 lakh, an automatic ladder purchased at a cost of Rs.9 lakh for maintenance of streetlights and computer facilities upgraded at a cost of Rs.20 lakh.
It has been planned to instal high-mast lights at six important places at a cost of Rs.20 lakh, fix 200 compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for streetlights at a cost of Rs.10 lakh and instal automatic switches in 150 lamp post connections at a cost of Rs.10 lakh.
The Corporation has prepared estimates for Rs.120 lakh for works towards mitigation of drinking water scarcity such as augmenting the drinking resources, sinking of new infiltration wells and sinking new deep borewells in order to increase the quantum pumped from the headworks.
The proposals would be sent to the State government. The Corporation has also planned to instal 50 power pumps-cum-deep borewells at a cost of Rs.55 lakh and lay distribution lines for a four-km length at a cost of Rs.20 lakh.
