Deputy Mayor V. Jayaprakash has announced an additional allocation of Rs.1.9 crore in the budget of the City Corporation for the financial year 2010-11.
Rounding off the general discussion on the budget proposals in the Corporation Council on Monday, he said Rs.40 lakh would be earmarked for improvement of infrastructure in the computer cell. A sum of Rs.10 lakh had been proposed for setting up a refreshment centre on the Shanghumugham beach.
An outlay of Rs.5 lakh was announced for a library at the Corporation office. Seventy trees would be planted in each ward to mark the 70{+t}{+h} anniversary of the Corporation, at an expected cost of Rs.1 lakh.
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Mr. Jayaprakash proposed an allocation of Rs.5 lakh for the rehabilitation of visually and aurally challenged students and those with autism. An amount of Rs.45 lakh was set apart for repair and maintenance of schools and Rs.5 lakh for School Pravesanotsavam. The Corporation would provide an assistance of Rs.5 lakh for the G.V. Raja football tournament.
Facilities for the public to view the World Cup football matches, including installation of wide screens, would be provided in the city at a cost of Rs.3 lakh.
Mr. Jayaprakash said 10 lower and upper primary schools and three nursery schools in the city would be made model educational institutions.
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The day-long debate on the budget proposals was a tame affair compared to the unruly scenes witnessed in the council during the presentation of the budget on Saturday. Mayor C. Jayan Babu exercised tight control on the proceedings, allowing nobody to challenge their political rivals or disrupt speeches.
Terming the budget a bag of empty promises, the Opposition United Democratic Front said the Corporation was over-dependent on Centrally sponsored schemes for the development of the capital city. UDF members said the ruling front had failed to implement most of the major schemes announced in the previous years. They alleged misrule, corruption and poor utilisation of funds.
The Left Democratic Front benches accused the Opposition of political myopia and empty sloganeering. They said development works amounting to crores of rupees had been implemented in every ward. Ruling front councillors said the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre was exploiting Kerala.
The head-wise discussion on the budget proposals will take place on Tuesday.