Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) on Monday presented a
`6.43-crore surplus budget with no new taxes, shifting its focus to
fiscal discipline and completion of ongoing works.

The BBMP did not announce any major projects, but has proposed a few schemes to ease traffic congestion in the city.

Dr
M S Shivaprasad, chairman, Standing Committee (Taxation and Finance),
presented the budget with a total expenditure of `7,773.08 crore. Last
year, former Mayor D Venkatesh Murthy had submitted a budget of 
`8,498.47 crore, but revised estimates pegged it at only `3,236.15
crore.

Among the new schemes announced in the budget is a flyover
from Sirsi Circle to BHEL Circle in association with Nandi
Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) and an elevated road from Race
Course Road to the railway underbridge via Shivananda Circle.

The
BBMP also proposed an elevated road from Outer Ring Road (Ejipura
Cross) to Kendriya Sadan in Koramangala and an elevated steel bridge
from Minerva Circle to Hudson Circle under the Jawaharlal Nehru National
Urban Renewal Mission (JnNURM).

It has raised the grants for old wards from `2 crore to `3 crore and for new ones from `3 crore to `4 crore.

It
announced a few new initiatives such as a separate act for the BBMP as
the existing Karnataka Municipal Corporation Act is outdated for a city
like Bangalore. Others are: an ambulance (Ambulance 109) for domestic
animals in each zone and a concession of 50 per cent on property tax for
those living in a radius of 1 km from garbage dumping yards.

No New Taxes Proposed in BBMP Budget

The
corporation pulled in `2,500 crore from property tax, `182.48 crore
from advertisement tax and `60 crore from trade licence fee. Besides, it
got grants of `3,937 crore from the Centre and state. This included
`1,527 crore from the 13th Finance Commission, the chief minister’s
special grant of `2,160 crore for road infrastructure and development of
lakes, and another `250 crore under JnNURM.

To raise revenue
mobilisation, the BBMP has decided to take stringent action against
those who default on property tax by confiscating their movable
properties. A team led by the tahasildhar will be deployed to attach the
immovable assets of defaulters.

This apart, a high value property
tax recovery cell will be formed to focus only on 2,000 such properties
that have been identified. The cell will pay attention to revision and
collection of taxes from these properties.

The BBMP said zone wise
tenders will be called for outsourcing of shop advertisements, and
illegal advertisement hoardings will be removed. It also proposes to
increase the rentals of its commercial complexes and markets.

Seems to be Realistic: Minister

District-in-charge
Minister R Ramalinga Reddy seems to be “satisfied” with the BBMP
budget. “There is no new tax proposed, which is good news for the
public. Also, ward grants have been increased.” He said that as there
are pending bills for `1,800 crore, and `1,700 crore is needed for
ongoing works, the size of the budget looks big.

He said city MLAs
and others have brought to the notice of the chief minister the
financial status of BBMP. “Last year, the CM could not give more funds
and this year, I am sure he will release (more funds),” he added.

Nothing New, Says Reddy

Opposition
leader Manjunatha Reddy said there is nothing new in the budget. “The
state government has announced more than `2,000 crore to the BBMP, which
is the highlight of the BBMP budget. Other than this there is nothing
new,” he said.

He said that every year they expect more revenue
from the cable policy and advertisement tax, but never manage to collect
it. They announced the construction of houses for SC/STs and OBCs, but
have not paid the money for the last year. “This is a deficit budget,”
he said.