The Hindu : Karnataka News : Chikmagalur CMC approves surplus budget

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Saturday, Feb 26, 2005

Karnataka

Karnataka - Others

Chikmagalur CMC approves surplus budget

By Our Correspondent

CHIKMAGALUR, FEB. 25. The Chikmagalur City Municipal Council approved a Rs. 8.14-lakh surplus budget here on Thursday for 2004-05 amid noisy scenes. With an opening balance of Rs. 13.68 lakhs, the budget envisages an income of Rs. 910.28 lakhs and an expenditure of Rs. 916 lakhs.

The income includes Rs. 350 lakhs from building tax, Rs. 125 lakhs from water cess and about Rs. 2 crores from sale of municipal sites. A sum of Rs. 60 lakhs for electricity bills of the Yagachi drinking water project, Rs. 20 lakhs for street lights and equipment, Rs. 125 lakhs for asphalting roads and Rs. 40 lakhs for constructing drains are the projected expenditure.

Among those who suggested amendments to the budget, Jeremy Lobo, said those who have made false declarations under the self-assessment scheme should be punished. H.B. Lakshmi suggested a reduction in water cess for the poor. Nicholas D'Souza wanted public taps to be retained.

At the outset, the Congress and BJP members questioned the propriety of calling a budget meeting when general meetings have not been held for the past six months. Pointing out that the Government had modified value added tax, K.M. Nagaraj, member, wanted to know on what basis the budget was being presented.

Alleging that the development works taken up did not reflect last year's budget proposals, the Opposition member, Shankar, demanded that the Municipal President, Syed Jameel Ahmed, should provide details of the works.

Gurulingappa, Municipal Commissioner, said a gazette notification on amendment to value added tax will be issued after discussions in the Legislative Assembly. The budget has to be approved by the Municipal Council and sent to the Government before the end of March, he added.

Mr. Nagaraj regretted that decisions taken at more than five special meetings have not been implemented. Mr. Syed Jameel Ahmed announced that a general meeting of the municipal council will be held within a fortnight. When he said that development works to the extent of Rs. 3.2 crores have been carried out, the Congress and BJP members insisted that details of the works be provided.

L.V. Basavaraj, former municipal president, observed that presenting a budget without discussing income and expenditure was illegal. Expressing his dissatisfaction with the budget, the Congress member, Rahmath, went towards the chair, tore up a copy of the budget and walked out of the meeting.

C.T. Ravi, MLA, advised the members to pay attention to development works. Mr. Ravi suggested that there were opportunities to obtain additional funds as the Union and State Governments were in the process of preparing the budget. He wanted public taps to be installed in housing schemes for the poor as providing drinking water was the duty of the Government as well as the local body.

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