Approvals have been obtained for all Smart City projects under GVMC and they will be completed in the coming year, Municipal Commissioner G. Srijana said at her year-end press conference on Monday.
Funds required for the projects have been deposited in a special purpose vehicle account this year itself in a ‘green channel’, Ms. Srijana added.
“The government’s decision to review all projects for financial discipline took two to three months but barring two projects, all 56 projects got approvals. The tender process is over and 30% of the projects are nearing completion,” Ms. Srijana said.
“The ongoing projects under the Smart City component are worth ₹1,000 crore. The ‘smart streets’ project and a 15MW floating solar plant costing ₹50 crore are pending,” she said.
The system for collection and segregation of garbage, clearing dustbins and dumper bins and clearing drains has been improved and strengthened with increased staff, Ms. Srijana said. She sought the support of residents to enable GVMC secure a better rank in Swachh Survekshan-2020.
With Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy laying the foundation stone for works worth ₹905 crore, including source stabilisation and pipelines from Narava-Aganampudi-Anakapalle and Hanumathawaka and improving all the 147 municipal schools under CITIIS (Cities Investment To Innovate, Integrate and Sustain) challenge with ₹52 crore of French aid, the New Year is set to begin with a bang, she said.
Fevers contained
“Seasonal diseases were kept under control thanks to planning right from April. The number of malaria cases came down to 89 from 416 in 2018-19 while dengue cases came down to 818 from 1,464 last year. Chikungunya cases also reduced to 27 from 45,” Ms. Srijana said.
Revenue from property and other taxes is projected to go up from ₹325 crore to ₹350 crore in the current year, as compared to ₹302 crore in the previous year, she said, ading that repairs to roads, which were delayed due to prolonged rains, would would be taken up at a cost of ₹26 crore.