The Kozhikode Corporation’s budget for the financial year 2021-22 presented by Deputy Mayor Musafir Ahamed was noted for its numerous novel projects.
The budget gives special focus to health and sanitation. A novel project named ‘Kozhikode Immunity Development Scheme’ (KIDS) proposed in the budget aims at combating lifestyle diseases that led to many a COVID deaths in the city.
Besides, a cleanliness protocol will be launched for the city soon. A health mission will be constituted to aid the improvement of the hygiene status of the city. A health complex at West Hill, a health hub at the TB clinic, and a dialysis centre have also been proposed.
To strengthen efforts to make every service of the corporation available online, a mobile application is in the making, and ₹10 lakh has been earmarked for the project. There are also several facilities being set up at the corporation office to convert it into a paperless office, besides better facilities for employees to make the office qualify for ISO certification.
Mayor Beena Philip will hold complaint adalats every now and then to sort out issues. Apart from training offered by the Kerala Institute of Local Administration (KILA), the corporation will set up a facility for imparting ‘in-service’ training to its employees.
Improving pocket roads in such a way that they are wide enough for at least a small ambulance to use is an ambitious project proposed in the budget, which will require large-scale public cooperation, as a lot of land needs to be acquired for the purpose.
Developing Valiyangadi into a ‘sleepless street’ with food stalls and late night activities is another project. The old corporation office will be re-structured into a ‘Museum for city history’.
A multi-purpose commercial complex named ‘City Tower’ has been proposed at Palayam.
On spot maintenance system for roads, a traffic policy, steps to make the city tourist-friendly, a memorial for freedom fighter Mohammed Abdurahman, music festival, theatre festival, international film festival, sports school, sports-cum-commercial complex at Pallikkandy, roller skating stadium at Pooladikkunnu, a new lorry terminal, ‘Enterprising Kozhikode’ project to encourage new entrepreneurs, and financial aid for start-ups by young women are the other novelties.
The budget proposes a revenue of ₹882.85 crore and expenditure of ₹827.89 crore with a surplus of ₹54.96 crore.
The revised budget for the financial year 2020-21 was also presented by the Deputy Mayor from which a surplus of ₹66.09 crore has been carried over to the next financial year.
Mayor Beena Philip chaired the session. Discussions on the budget will go on till Thursday afternoon after which the Deputy Mayor will answer queries.
