Housing and sanitation received maximum attention in the Kollam Corporation budget for 2019-2020 presented by Deputy Mayor Vijaya Francis here on Monday.
The budget envisages a surplus of ₹32.38 crore with a revenue of ₹617.13 crore and expenditure of ₹584.74 crore.
In a bid to provide housing for all beneficiaries in the Corporation limits, ₹90 crore has been earmarked for schemes under LIFE Mission. Rehabilitation of the residents of Alakkukuzhi colony, a project that started last year, gets ₹1.98 crore. Also, ₹5.12 crore has been set aside for the construction of a new flat complex at QSS colony, Pallithottam.
As part of decentralised waste management projects, ₹2 crore has been allocated for installing biogas plants at houses. Also, ₹75 lakh has been earmarked for aerobic plants and there are proposals to extend the services of Haritha Karma Sena. A new plastic shredding unit will come up at ₹75 lakh while ₹30 lakh has been earmarked for a new plant to recycle poultry waste.
Botanical garden
Six acres of land at Kureepuzha will be converted into zero waste land after processing 23,000 tonnes of garbage through bio-mining and a botanical garden will be created in the area. A total of ₹2 crore has been set aside for this.
While ₹50 lakh has been allocated for installing an Effluent Treatment Plant at the currently dysfunctional slaughter house in the city, a modern slaughter house will be constructed at ₹1 crore.
While Njankadavu Drinking Water project gets an allocation of ₹15 crore, ₹50 lakh will be used for setting up a new RO Plant and installing the facilities to check water quality.
Model schools
A project to convert all schools in the city as model schools get ₹50 lakh and ₹60 lakh has been set aside for the free breakfast scheme in schools.
Also, ₹88 lakh has been earmarked for conducting personality development camps and other training sessions in schools.
There are proposals to start an industry park, mini industry park, and IT park in the city and they receive a total allocation of 1.75 crore. A sum of ₹80 lakh has been allocated for a modern ready-made warp unit.
There are various schemes for women and persons belonging to SC/ST categories, including ₹13 crore for the Ayyankali Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme (AUEGS) and ₹1.9 crore for a She Lodge. The budget also earmarks ₹2 crore for a planetarium, ₹3 crore for an international convention centre, and ₹3 crore for a parking tower near the Kollam railway station.
