TIRUCHI: Desisting from making any major financial commitments on fresh capital works, the Mayor, Sarubala R. Tondaiman, on Monday presented the Tiruchi Corporation budget for 2006-07, projecting a surplus of Rs.24 lakh out of the total outlay of Rs.87.13 crore.

Allocations for expansion of the Central Bus Stand, establishment of a water theme-park, re-laying of roads that were dug for laying the underground sewer system, strengthening of bus route roads, black-topping of kutcha roads and construction of pavements with storm water drains were among the major development expenditure planned in the budget.

The budget estimates projects the civic body's revenue for the next financial year at Rs.87.13 crores and the expenditure at Rs.86.89 crore. The revised estimates for the 2005-06 shows a deficit of Rs.3.87 crore.

The Corporation's tax revenue is expected to go up substantially this fiscal. The civic body has netted Rs.29.44 crore by way of tax revenue till January 31, up by about Rs.2 crore over the corresponding period of the previous financial year.

The Corporation has earmarked Rs.2 crore in the budget for the expansion of the Central Bus Stand.

The budget has made a provision of Rs.4.93 crore for developing bus route roads, Rs.4.75 crore for blacktopping of kutcha roads and Rs.4.48 crore for construction of pavements with storm water drains.

The civic body would spend a whopping Rs.11.29 crore on relaying roads that were dug up for laying the underground sewer system.

An allocation of Rs.70 lakh has been made for setting up the proposed water theme park at the Anna Nagar Corporation grounds.

Deficit reduced

Tabling the last budget of her tenure, at an urgent meeting of the council on Monday, Mrs. Tondaiman observed that the Corporation has successfully managed to bring down the deficit over the past few years through financial discipline. The budget outlay has gone up steadily over the past four years from Rs.53 crore in 2002-03.

The Corporation, in association with a couple of private industries, was examining proposals on using solid waste as fuel for cement industries and composting of solid waste with the help of distillery effluents.

The Mayor announced that the council would take up the budget for discussion on February 27.

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