Rs. 1.81-cr. surplus budget approved by corporation

B.K. Kerekodappa, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation and Accounts, presenting the Ballari City Corporation budget for 2015-16on Thursday.

The Congress-controlled Ballari City Corporation unanimously approved the Rs. 1.81-crore surplus budget for 2015-16 presented by B.K. Kerekodappa, Chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation and Accounts, here on Thursday.

The corporation anticipates a revenue of Rs. 145.36 crore, including an opening balance of Rs. 32.28 crore, with plans to spend Rs. 143.55 crore during the year.

The anticipated receipts of Rs. 113.08 crore include the corporation’s own resources like property tax, rent, trade licences and advertisements, water charges among others, and grants from the State Finance Commission and the 13th Finance Commission.

Rs. 24.85 crore has been set aside for laying roads, underground drainage, construction of commercial complexes, market, maintenance of roads and underground drains, construction of toilets and improvements for supply of drinking water and solid waste management.

Apart from this, Rs. 3.75 crore has been earmarked for streetlights, Rs. 1.70 crore for park development, tree plantation and beautification of city.

The budget also envisages the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, persons with physical disabilities and the economically backward by extending financial assistance by setting aside Rs. 2.06 crore.

For improvements/development of graveyards, a sum of Rs. 1 crore has been kept. The corporation proposes to construct a gas crematorium at an estimated cost of Rs. 0.80 crore and has planned to construct a wholesale fish market in association with National Fisheries Development Board.

Under the 24.10 percent of the total budget for the welfare of Scheduled Castes and Tribes, a sum of Rs. 1.51 crore has been set aside with which it has been proposed to extend individual benefits and also for the community wise by improving roads, drains, providing electricity, construction of ‘samudaya bhavan’ among other things.

The budget proposes to make use of the anticipated grant of Rs. 5 crore from the government under the National Urban Livelihood Mission, for imparting training towards self employment, capacity building, assistance to street vendors, providing shelter to the shelterless. Mayor Ms. B. Nagamma, Deputy Mayor S. Malanbi, Corporation Commissioner Ramesh were present.