NASHIK: The Standing Committee of the Nashik Municipal Corporation
(NMC) presented the Rs 1,810.82 crore civic budget for 2012-13 in the
general body meeting on Tuesday. Earlier, the committee, while modifying
the budget worked out by the municipal commissioner, had rejected
proposals to hike house and water taxes.

The former municipal
commissioner P Velarasu, in his budget presented to the Standing
Committee, had proposed 10 per cent hike in house tax and 4 per cent
rise in conservation tax, but the proposals to hike house and
conservation taxes were cancelled by the Standing Committee it its
budget presented at the GBM. The Rs. 1,810.82 crore budget includes the
surplus of Rs. 2.61 crore, with the outlay of Rs. 1,808.21 crore. The
former municipal commissioner P Velarasu had presented the NMC
budget amounting to Rs 1170.85 crore on March 31. The standing
committee revised the by suggesting measures to increase revenue by Rs
639.97 crore, thereby increasing the budget from Rs 1,170.85 crore to Rs
1,810.82 crore.

Presenting the budget at the GBM on Tuesday,
the Standing Committee chairman Uddhav Nimse said, “My attempt was to
give priority to the civic works in the interest of citizens and no tax
hike has been made in the budget with an aim to relief the citizens.
Considering comparatively on expenses and income, it is necessary to
make minor hike on rents of NMC’s own commercial properties, advertising
taxes. In present situation, it needs to be economical in case of
revenue expenditure. Survey of NMC’s all residential and commercial
properties, and computerization of tax recovery systems are needed to
increase the revenue. The related department must take efforts for 100
per cent recovery of house tax, water tax and other taxes, which will
help in carrying out maximum developmental works in the city.”

The budget includes the proposal of privatize NMC’s two ambitious loss
making projects- Yashwantrao Chavan Planetarium and Dadasaheb Pahalke
Memorial, with an aim to avoid expenses on the said projects. The
provision of Rs. 30 lakh per corporator has been made to carry out
various developmental works in their wards. The budget includes the
provision of Rs. 100 crore in view of the coming Kumbhamela for
acquisition of land for Sadhugram, city Ring Roads, DP Roads and
broadening of existing roads.

The provision of Rs 100 crore as
NMC’s contribution (of 30 per cent) under Jawaharlal Nehru National
Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) project works for the current fiscal year
has been made. The budget includes the provision of Rs. 50 crore for
the proposed Godavari Development Plan and Ghat development.

Rs. 1 crore to conduct survey and chalk out plans for Metro Railway
project, Rs. 1 cr to install CCTV cameras and other safety measures in
the city, Rs. 5 crore for Solid Waste Management Project, Rs. 25 lakh
for water audit, Rs. 18.37 crore for the welfare of Blind and
handicapped, Hawkers’ Zone and Khoka market, Rs. 10 crore for
multi-purpose playground, Rs. 36.85 crore for various works for
empowerment of women, The municipal corporation hopes to raise Rs. 658
crore from Octroi, Rs. 119.69 crore from property and other taxes, Rs.
67.59 from Services and facilities, Rs. 50 crore from Development Tax,
Rs. 46 crore from other taxes, Rs. 68.12 crore from water cess, Rs.
112.73 crore through Simhastha and other grants, Rs. 300 crore through
cash credit and bonds, Rs. 17 crore from taxes on constructions, Rs. 100
crore from NMC’s 24 properties to be developed by the NMC for
commercial purposes on BOT basis, Rs. 195 crore as compensation from the
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) that is handling the
widening of the highway widening and the service rods, Rs. 30 crore tax
from India Bulls.

The total budget outlay is at Rs. 1,808.21 crore,
which includes Rs. 171.19 crore on the administration for recovery of
taxes, Rs. 49.45 crore for public safety, Rs. 215.87 crore for public
health and facilities, Rs. 12.46 crore for public education, Rs.64.92
crore for water distribution management, Rs.71.47 crore for sewage
treatment management, Rs. 3 crore for effluent treatment management, Rs.
67.90 crore to provide facilities to poor people in the city, Rs.
894.78 crore capital expense, Rs. 76.35 for overdrafts etc..