The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Corporation budget outlay to cross Rs. 3,000 crore

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 15, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Corporation budget outlay to cross Rs. 3,000 crore

Hike will be nearly double the size compared to current year

Half of the outlay to be earmarked for major works
Draft proposals to be put up before the standing panel

HYDERABAD: Reflecting its current geographical size and to provide for better infrastructure, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation’s (GHMC) budget outlay for the next financial year is likely to be more than Rs. 3,000 crore!

Commissioner and Special Officer C.V.S.K. Sarma intends to earmark at least half of it for major works.

The hike in budget outlay for the financial year of 2008-2009 will be nearly double the size compared to the current year when the combined budgets of erstwhile Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad (Rs. 1,100 crore) and the 12 suburban municipalities (Rs.650 crore) are considered.

New initiatives

Draft budget proposals have been more or less finalised. It is to be put up before the Standing Committee once officials finish making last minute touches to the figures and proposals. New initiatives which could receive impetus will be construction of houses for the poor and ‘Aasra’- to help the elderly and the disabled persons.

With 40 per cent of the budgetary allocation to be utilised for development of slums, GHMC wants to construct multi-storied apartments through the public-private partnership mode besides providing basic amenities.

Remodelling of storm water drains, rehabilitation of evacuees, road widening, sanitation, etc., will be other areas where much work will be taken up.

The Charminar Pedestrianisation Project (CPP) and the cleaning up of River Musi project where construction of check dams, promenades and corridor roads along the banks next year are other projects on the agenda. In fact, expenditure on capital works has risen dizzily in the last two years with works costing more than Rs. 600 crore taken up during this year alone.

Compensation

Most of the expenditure is related to paying compensation for road widening and flyovers. If the same enthusiasm is maintained, works costing more than Rs. 700 crore can be grounded, feel officials.

This makes adequate revenue generation more crucial since Government grants have been minimal.

Tax collection

Officials, however, are confident of mopping up funds pointing to the projected property tax collection of Rs. 350 crore, hike in impact fee, money collected for permitting new constructions, Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Fund (JNNURM) funds, etc.

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