The standing committee of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) at its meeting at Hyderabad on Saturday approved an estimated budget of Rs. 1,936.63 crore for 2014-15, Commissioner M.V. Satyanarayana informed.
Principal Secretary (Municipal and urban administration) and Special Officer of GVMC Shailendra Kumar Joshi presided over the standing committee meeting.
Lot of care was taken and exercise done to balance the income and expenditure while proposing the budget and this was the reason for the next year’s budget being lower than the current year’s budget of Rs. 1990.62 crore in spite of the merger of Anakapalle and Bheemunipatnam Municipalities in GVMC, Mr. Satyanarayana said.
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Though there was a possibility of receiving more funds under JNNURM, Rajiv Awas Yojna and 13 Plan, the budget was framed with a practical and scientific method, he said. More money was proposed to be sent under general account since salaries of employees were expected to be raised due to implementation of Pay Revision Commission.
Teachers’ salaries expected to be paid under 010 head was the other reason for proposing a lower budget. GVMC was forced to propose a revised budget of Rs. 1,538.23 crore for 2013-14 after funds under JNNURM, RAY and 13 Plan were not received from Centre in the expected quantity. The Standing Committee approved the revised budget also.
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The engineering wing was proposed to receive the highest allocation of Rs. 460.88 crore, followed by Rs. 386.45 crore for JNNURM works, Rs. 187.15 crore for drinking water supply, Rs. 184.69 crore for public health, Rs. 126 crore for RAY in the 2014-15 budget, compared to Rs. 454.42 crore, Rs. 256.41 crore, Rs. 169.84 crore, Rs. 160.11 crore, Rs. 15 crore, respectively, in the revised budget for 2013-14.
Additional Commissioner B. Nagendra Kumar, Financial Advisor Prasada Rao, Chief Engineer B. Jayarami Reddy and other GVMC officials participated in the meeting.