Mayor Kalpana Anandakumar on Friday presented the Coimbatore Corporation Budget for 2023-24, projecting a deficit of ₹10.17 crore.
The projected revenue was ₹3,018.90 crore and the expenditure ₹3,029.07 crore.
As per the Budget document, the estimated revenue receipt amounted to ₹1,278.81 crore and the capital receipts amounted to ₹1,740.09 crore, totaling 3,018.90 crore. The total revenue expenditure was ₹989.82 crore and the total capital expenditure was ₹2039.25 crore, adding to ₹3,029.07 crore.
The total tax revenue this year — ₹503.26 crore — saw a massive boost compared last year’s ₹300.79 crore.
Of the 14,487 buildings identified by the civic body in 2022, those on which taxes were not levied so far or were constructed additionally after assessment or utilisation was changed, property tax to the tune of ₹8.29 crore was collected from 6,451 buildings. Additional revenue of ₹5 crore would be obtained this financial year by initiating a series of initiatives, according to the Corporation.
The civic body, this financial year, had secured loans to the tune of ₹596 crore, whereas it was ₹326.74 last year. It is to be noted that the civic body has earmarked ₹111 crore under repayment of secured loans in this Budget, while it was only ₹37.65 crore in the previous one.
“Of the total expenditure, health and welfare accounts for 24.30%, 20.55% for drinking water supply and underground sewerage, 11.25% for the education sector, 11.75% for infrastructure development and 32.15% under the establishment and administrative expenses,” the Mayors said.
Schemes
Of the 63 proposals announced in the previous Budget, 24 were completed and opened to the public, and 38 are in various levels of completion, she said.
“The Corporation has devised many integrated development projects in the present Budget to provide basic needs to the people,” Commissioner M. Prathap said.
The biggest push was for education in this Budget with 19 new schemes, including augmented and virtual reality technology for schoolchildren worth ₹20 lakh, identity cards and belts worth ₹35 lakh, setting up of vegetable parks in schools at ₹5 lakh and installing sanitary pad incinerator machine at ₹12 lakh.
The civic body announced installation of a floating solar power plant in Ukkadam lake at ₹ 1.20 crore, a first-of-its-kind in the State. .
In association with GIZ, a German development agency, the civic body has planned two ‘Sponge Park’ in each zone - totally 10 parks for the city - at ₹4 crore with provisions to retain water for improving the groundwater level and control floods . The first phase would be implemented at ₹ 95 lakh.
Nearly 30,000 cloth bags were procured and distributed with contributions from private agencies and a lakh more will be handed out to the people this financial year to promote ‘Meendum Manajappai’ initiative of the State, the Mayor said.
Three AIADMK councillors staged a walkout after the Budget presentation, stating that there were repetitions in the Budget. C. Sharmila, Ward 38 councillor, alleged that many schemes in the Budget, especially under the road development and education, were repetitions. Those were already mentioned in the previous financial year. New and better initiatives must be incorporated, she said.
