The Hindu : BMP budget to unveil many projects

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Feb 18, 2004

Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

BMP budget to unveil many projects

By Afshan Yasmeen

BANGALORE, FEB. 17. A slum-less city, more attention to asphalting roads, more streetlights, and free water meters for the poor in new wards. These and many more facilities are in store for the citizens in the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's (BMP's) budget for 2004-2005. The BMP is also planning to introduce insurance for pourakarmikas and corporators.

As expected, citizens are to be spared of an infrastructure and solid waste management cess this time too.

But the BMP plans to initiate strict measures for collecting property tax. It is likely to set a property tax collection target of Rs. 325 crore as against Rs. 225 crore last year.

The BMP will urge the Government to set up a special court for speedy clearance of cases related to property tax payment as it feels it is losing revenue because of litigations. According to a draft "Budget Estimates, 2004-2005", the BMP has a Rs.20-crore project to illuminate the entire city and a Rs. 50-crore project to improve facilities in the old areas. It will set up a Kempegowda museum (Rs. 5 crore) and a Geographical Information System (Rs. 3 crore). It plans to construct 200 Nirmala toilets, 100 bus-bays, and 300 bus shelters.

The BMP will set aside Rs. 75 crore for "black-top asphalting" of all roads. It plans to outsource maintenance and repair of roads, including pothole filling, and has allocated Rs. 8 crore.

Highly placed sources told The Hindu on Tuesday that the existing projects would continue. Among them were "Nirantara Nirmala" to build more pay'n use toilets, "Sneha Setuve" for joint development work with city municipal councils, "Bhavishya Bangaluru" to plan a greater Bangalore, "Chira Shanti Chitagara" for constructing crematoria, "Halli Kalyana" for providing amenities to slums dwellers, and infrastructure projects proposed in the previous budgets.

"Halli Kalyana", announced two years ago, will be re-launched with a new name — Rajiv Gandhi Ashraya Yojane. Under 18 per cent grants, the BMP plans to construct at least 15 low-cost houses for the poor in slums in each ward. "We will develop infrastructure in 50 rehabilitated slums. We also aim at speedy implementation of ongoing projects," sources said.

The BMP will allocate Rs. 52 crore for special development and "spill-over" works, Rs. 12 crore for scientific landfills, and Rs. 1.2 lakh for presenting awards to the best schools. It plans to set up stalls in all important tourist places to sell T-shirts, key chains, and caps with its emblem.

Budget on Saturday: The Chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance, K.S. Samiulla, will present the budget on February 21. The total outlay will be Rs. 992.74 crore as against Rs. 980.32 crore last year. The Mayor's discretionary quota of Rs. 10.25 crore (including medical relief grants of Rs. 1 crore) has been retained.

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