NASHIK:The General Body Meeting ( GBM)
of Nashik Municipal Corporation on Tuesday approved the standing
committee’s civic budget of Rs 1,810.82 crore, without hiking house and
water taxes and with the inclusion of suggestions by the members.

The civic budget of Rs 1,810.82 crore, presented by the standing
committee Chairman Uddhav Nimse, was passed on Tuesday at the General
Body Meeting (GBM) of NMC, with some suggestions by the members.
However, Nashikites can be happy that the budget has no proposal to hike
house and water taxes. There was, however, 20% hike each in rents of
NMC’s own commercial galas (shops) and octroi escort fees and minor hike
in advertising taxes.

The former municipal commissioner P Velarasu,
in his budget had proposed 10% hike in house tax and 4% rise in
conservation tax, but the proposals to hike house and conservation taxes
were cancelled by the committee. 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 ex-municipal commissioner P Velarasu had presented the NMC
budget amounting to Rs 1,170.85 crore on March 31. The standing
committee revised the same 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.

The city mayor Yatin Wagh said, “An
approval is being given with the inclusion of the suggestions made by
members.” Wagh instructed the administration to submit the proposal of
privatization of fertilizer, planetarium and Phalke Monument projects.

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 the present situation, it
needs to be economical in case of revenue expenditure. Survey of NMC’s
residential and commercial properties, and computerization of tax
recovery systems are needed to increase the revenue. The related
department must make efforts to recover house tax, water tax and other
taxes, which will help in carrying out maximum developmental works in
the city.”The mayor also announced the provision of Rs 60 lakh fund per
corporator to carry out various developmental works in their wards, Rs
30 lakh for the Prabhag Committee chairman and Rs 25 crore for Goda
Park.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.

Rs 100 crore has
been allocated 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 as a provision 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, has been set aside.

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.

(the NMC general body meeting is still in progress. This is tentative copy…may be updated by 8 pm)