GHMC Council has, during its virtual meeting on Tuesday, accorded the stamp of approval to the corporation’s annual budget proposals for the year 2021-22, for ₹ 6,842 crore.
Apart from the GHMC’s own budget of ₹ 5,600 crore, the proposals include funding of ₹ 1,242 crore for the double bedroom housing project which has been taken up by the civic body on behalf of the Telangana State Housing Corporation. Revenue income for the year is pegged at ₹ 3,571 crore, while revenue expenditure is estimated to be ₹ 2,414 crore, leaving a surplus of ₹ 1,157 crore. Of the revenue income, a total of ₹1,850 crore is shown as accruing through property tax. A total of ₹ 355 crore is shown as grants from the 15th Finance Commission. Capital receipts of ₹ 3,186 crore, when coupled with the funding expected from the Housing Corporation, amounted to ₹ 4,428 crore. ₹1,242 crore has been shown under the head of construction and improvements of the housing units for the poor.
Pattana Pragathi
Presenting the annual budget, Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi said ‘Pattana Pragathi’ programme will be conducted in GHMC for 10 days starting from July 1, including review of developmental works and sanitation. As part of the programme, activities to be taken up include ward-wise review of developmental works, intensive sanitation drive for prevention of seasonal diseases, removal of stagnant water, anti-larval spraying, garbage clearance, de-weeding and clearing of the road margins of the construction debris, demolition of the dilapidated buildings, plantation as part of the Haritha Haaram, land acquisition for vegetarian and non-vegetarian markets and others, the Mayor informed.She administered oath of office to the newly elected corporator from Lingojiguda ward D. Rajashekhar Reddy who arrived at the chamber from where she addressed the virtual meeting, along with the TPCC chief and MP A.Revanth Reddy.
During the general body meeting that followed budget presentation, newly elected corporators raised questions about issues plaguing the city. MIM members Mohammed Majid Hussain and S.Raj Mohan posed questions about the city’s sanitation, and questioned why the dumper bins have been removed. Not satisfied with the reply furnished by GHMC, Mr. Majid Hussain said the sanitation situation has gone from bad to worse after the dumper bins were removed, and expressed displeasure about the ubiquitous garbage mounds.
MLC Syed Aminul Hasan Jafri and Mr. Majid Hussain pointed out that the huge amounts shown in budget allocations are not reflected in the expenditure at ground level. Uppal Corporator M.Rajitha Parameshwar Reddy expressed displeasure that the Congress party had not been given an opportunity to speak of the budget though it had representation by three members in the council.
