The GHMC will be having a budget of Rs.5,643 crore for next year, just Rs.43 crore more than the current year’s, with capital expenditure proposed towards infrastructure development taking the lion’s share of Rs.3,026 crore.
The standing committee meeting of the municipal corporation, presided over by Mayor B. Rammohan, discussed the budget proposals put forth for the financial year 2017-18. Refraining from hugely increasing budget provisions as it had happened last year, the civic body has been more than circumspect.
In fact, the revised budget figures show a marked decrease for the year 2016-17 from Rs 5,600 crore to Rs 5,061.74 crore, a reduction of Rs 538 crore because of lack of funds received from the Government. The infrastructure works proposed next year are for roads, flyovers, bridges, water supply, sewerage, public transport, storm water drains, street lights, slum improvement and so on.
It also means all the grand plans of building several flyovers under the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP), massive housing programme under the two-bedroom scheme and other projects need external funding or Government backing/assistance.
Mayor Rammohan said later at a press conference that the revenue expected was Rs.2926 crore and expenditure for salaries, maintenance and other expenses was put at Rs.2616 crore, which was actually much more than what was earmarked in the last budget at Rs.1834 crore and as per the revised estimates it was Rs.1,969 crore.
Property tax target was put at Rs.1,275 crore, according to GHMC Commissioner B. Janardhan Reddy. He also expected the Government grant to be Rs.431.5 crore. If necessary, the civic body would go for external funding to take up big projects while reviewing measures to mop up internal revenues, he added.
The budget would be put before the general body for voting and clearance before being sent to the Government for approval. The process was expected to take up to three months.
