MYSORE: The people of Mysore have come out with a list of suggestions for the forthcoming budget of the Mysore City Corporation (MCC) for 2007-08.

At a pre-budget meeting at the Institution of Engineers organised by the Association of Concerned and Informed Citizens of Mysore (ACICM), the participants, which included former Mayors, former corporators and citizens, made suggestions for a "successful" budget.

There is no elected council in the corporation as its term ended last year and elections to 65 wards are due in May.

The meeting asked the corporation, which is headed by the Deputy Commissioner, in the absence of an elected body, to take steps to collect property tax and fix the target for collecting the tax at Rs. 40 crore for 2007-08.

The citizens suggested that collection of water tax be fixed at Rs. 25 crore as water tariff had been increased in 2006.

Legal steps should be taken against those who had longstanding dues, they said. Also, dues from industries must be collected promptly, they added. The target for collecting rent from MCC buildings should be fixed at Rs. 6 crore and licence fee from traders, industries and other commercial establishments should also be collected properly. They said the target for collecting licence fee must be fixed at Rs 8 crore.

The participants sought budgetary allocation for establishing Sthree Shakti Bhavans in three constituencies in Mysore.

At least 25 per cent of the allocation should be set aside for the project as 75 per cent of funds for the project had been set aside by the State Government, they said.

A budgetary provision should be made for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) since 10 per cent of the amount had to come from the State Government, they said.

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