The Hindu          03.03.2011

Ambattur Municipality allots extra funds for two projects

To provide underground drainage and water supply networks

The Ambattur Municipality has allocated additional funds for two major ongoing projects — to provide underground drainage and water supply networks — in its budget for 2011-12.

Officials of the Ambattur Municipality said the budget allocation for both the schemes works out to Rs.208.60 crore compared to Rs.48.75 crore last fiscal. The allocation also includes fund from the State and Central governments under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

However, the poor response to the deposit collection for the schemes is proving to be an impediment in the speedy execution of the projects.

While 50 per cent of the project cost would be from the government, the remaining 50 per cent would be raised by way of the deposit charges from the consumers and the funds of the local body. The municipality has estimated to collect a deposit amount totalling Rs.66 crore from nearly 90,000 assesses. While the underground drainage network being taken up in three phases is proposed to be completed July 2012, work on the water supply network is in full swing and expected to be finished by this year-end.

In its budget for 2011-12, presented recently, the local body proposed an expenditure of Rs.322.75 crore and revenue of Rs.322.87 crore. This is significantly higher considering that the revenue in the current fiscal of the local body would be nearly Rs.126 crore.

Officials of the municipality said the grant and loan obtained for the projects formed a major share of the income. Unlike the earlier years, the municipality is confident that it would be able to improve its revenue collection. Of the total property tax demand for 2010-11 of Rs.50 crore, nearly Rs.30 crore has been collected as on date.

Priorities have been given to improving infrastructure in schools and health posts. An additional Rs.1.50 crore has been allocated towards new classrooms and purchase of computers and furniture in the 20 schools under the municipality.

Similarly, Rs.7.18 crore has been proposed to be spent for laying new roads against Rs.6.10 crore allocated in 2010-11, an official said.