Kerala - Kozhikode   

Infrastructure gets top priority in corporation budget

Staff Reporter

No new projects now, as poll code is in force

WAYS AND MEANS: Deputy Mayor P.T. Abdul Latheef presenting the city corporation budget on Friday. — Photo: S. Ramesh Kurup

Kozhikode: Construction of roads, ongoing sanitation schemes and other infrastructure development works have been given top priority in the budget proposals of the Kozhikode Corporation for 2006-07 financial year.

The budget proposals, presented by Deputy Mayor P.T. Abdul Latheef at a special council meeting here on Friday, set aside a substantial amount for maintenance of corporation-owned buildings, development of corporation stadium and overall development of the city.

However, no new projects have been announced, as the model code of conduct is in force for the Assembly elections in April and May.

Revenue and expenditure

The budget proposes a revenue of Rs. 97.85 crores and expenditure of Rs. 95.73 crores, with a surplus of Rs. 2.12 crores. The revenue comprises a carryover of Rs. 2.87 crores from last year's budget, revenue account of Rs. 56.52 crores and capital account of Rs. 38.45 crores.

The proposed account expenditure is Rs. 42.44 crores and capital expenditure Rs. 53.28 crores. Mr. Latheef also presented the revised budget of Rs. 67.03 crores for 2005-06.

He said that the corporation obtained its revenue from municipal taxes (Rs. 22.26 crores), municipal property (Rs. 11.6 crores) and grants from the State Government (Rs. 16.25 crores). The corporation also expects Rs. 15.08 crores as Kerala Development Project (KDP) funds and Rs. 8 crores as loan out of the capital account of Rs. 38.45 crores.

The following are the amount earmarked for some important sectors: construction of roads and infrastructure development (Rs. 23.16 crores); ward fund (Rs. 92 lakhs); drainage (Rs. 1.1 crores); health and sanitation (Rs. 3.4 crores); parks and gardens (Rs 51 lakhs); street lights (Rs. 1.05 crores); slum improvement (Rs. 1.66 crores); markets (Rs. 87.5 lakhs); crematorium (Rs. 98.25 lakhs); stadium (Rs. 1.98 crores), welfare of Scheduled Castes (Rs. 2.13 crores); other welfare schemes (Rs. 2.1 crores); drinking water schemes (Rs. 1.36 crores); education (Rs 1.01 crores); and city development (Rs. 5.6 crores).

Road works

During his budget speech, Mr. Latheef highlighted the achievements of the corporation in the current fiscal.

The ongoing works on Aravinda Ghosh Road, Oyitty Road and Vaikkom Mohammed Basheer Road, at a cost of Rs. 105.86 lakhs, was a major development in the infrastructure sector.

Street lights

Installing streetlights had been given importance in the current fiscal.

Nearly 400 bulbs were replaced with tube lights at various streets.

Nearly 1,032 compact fluorescent bulbs were installed at 34 junctions.

Computerisation of corporation office was another major contribution of the council. Registration of births and deaths had been computerised along with this package.

Seven Government hospitals, 15 private hospitals and a hospital in the cooperative sector had established kiosks to register births.

All hospitals in the city would soon have this facility in the next fiscal, Mr. Latheef said.

Information centre

An information centre catering to the needs of the public was inaugurated in early 2006.

Implementation of several schemes with the assistance of Kudumbasree volunteers had helped in the expansion of the Model Solid Waste Management (MSWM) project.

The corporation had also given Rs. 42 lakhs to the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) for envisaging drinking water projects in the city, he said.

Discussion today

Discussion on the budget proposals would be held on Saturday, Mayor M. Bhaskaran, who chaired the meeting, told the council.

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