The annual budget of the Kottayam municipality for the year 2015-16 envisages an expenditure of Rs. 120.54 crore against a revenue accrual of Rs. 146.77 crore, denoting a surplus of Rs. 26.24 crore.
The budget presented by vice chairperson Alice Joseph lays stress on women’s welfare and waste management in the municipal area.
The budget has provided Rs. 50 lakh for the total sanitation campaign and Rs. 75 lakh for procuring three incinerators to turn the town into a zero-waste town. In addition, Rs. 25 lakh will be used to clean the drainage system in the town.
The budget envisages a special campaign to make the town Wi-fi with the support of BSNL.
Steps to ensure the safety of women have been given special thrust in the budget. A sum of Rs. 50 lakh has been earmarked for the construction of a ladies’ hostel at Puthanangadi and Rs. 10 lakh for installing CCTVs in key areas to ensure the safety of women. The budget also provides for the construction of women’s toilets at major bus stands in the town and the construction of a women’s outlet for marketing Kudumbasree products.
It provides for distribution of free shopping bags made of cotton to homemakers to encourage them to make the town plastic-free.
It has earmarked Rs. 1 crore for the initial expenses for construction of a new municipal complex, Rs. 10 lakh for construction of a fish market at Neelimangalam, and Rs. 1 crore for the construction of the second phase of the Rajiv Gandhi Complex.
The budget has also allocated Rs. 1 crore for the construction of flats on 57-cent land at Panachikkad for rehabilitation of those living on poramboke land in the town.
Municipal chairman K.R.G. Warrier presided. Discussions will continue on Friday.
