The Hindu 16.02.2011
Property, professional taxes untouched in Corporation budget
The Chennai Corporation budget for 2011-12, presented on Tuesday, has
left the property and professional tax rates untouched even while
continuing with the emphasis on health and education.
The budget, presented by Chairperson of the civic body’s
Committee on Taxation and Finance Radha Sambandan, has several welfare
measures in the health and education sectors.
One of them is a proposal to launch master health
check-up consisting of 18 tests for Rs.500 at Corporation diagnostic
centres in Perambur, Valluvar Kottam, EVR Salai, Saidapet and
Thiruvanmiyur.
Addressing the Council, Mayor M.Subramanian said the master health check-up scheme would be of help to the poor.
The budget document said Rs.734.30 crore was to be
allotted towards capital works. The total revenue is estimated to be
Rs.1,943.76 crore and the total expenditure Rs.1,945.16 crore.
The collection of property tax in the current fiscal is likely to be Rs.400 crore as against nearly Rs.370 crore in 2009-10.
The estimated property tax collection in 2011-2012 is Rs. 410 crore and profession tax Rs.150 crore.
Mobile clinics
Mobile clinics would be launched for treating residents
of 1,460 slums. Students who recite all 1,330 couplets of Thirukkural
would be given a scholarship of Rs.1,000 per year till they complete
their school education. White school uniforms will be distributed free
of cost to students of Chennai Schools.
Blue overcoat
All girl students of Chennai High and Higher Secondary Schools would receive a blue overcoat.
Videoconference facility would be launched in all the
ten zonal offices as part of the e-governance initiative of the civic
body.