MCD earmarks 25 lakhs for disaster

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 31. The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has made a provision of Rs 25 lakhs for disaster management for the coming financial year. This last-minute inclusion in the budget proposals was made following the devastating earthquake in Gujarat last week.

The budget also proposes to provide better civic services to the citizens without putting any extra burden by way of new taxes in the coming financial year, with a major chunk of money to be spent on education. Stress will be on resource mobilisation.

As much as 21.90 per cent of the total budgetary expenditure will be spent on primary education, 16.66 per cent on sanitation, and 11 per cent on medical relief and public health. The civic body has asked the Delhi Government to increase the grants on actual expenditure on primary education from 60 per cent to 75 per cent. The matter will also be taken up before the Second Finance Commission.

Presenting the Budget proposals for 2001-2002 in the MCD House today, Mr. Prithvi Raj Sawhney, chairman of the Standing Committee, said there had been an increase in Non-Plan income due to better recovery of property tax. In 1998-99, the Non-Plan income was Rs 1,121.37 crores which increased to Rs 1,358.87 crores in the following year, registering a hike of 21.18 per cent.

In the Revised Budget Estimates for 2000-2001, the Non-Plan income has been estimated at Rs 1,620.54 crores which is 19.26 per cent more than the previous year. During 2000-2001, an income of Rs 940.25 crores from property tax has been estimated in the Revised Budget Estimates which is Rs 265.02 crores more than last year, thus registering an increase of 39.25 per cent. ``Our efforts will be to collect Rs 1,040.25 crores from property taxes in the new financial year,'' Mr. Sawhney said.

Similarly, Rs 75 crores is expected to be collected through Toll Tax in 2001-2002 as against Rs 70 crores in the current financial year.

With a view to streamlining various channels of resource mobilisation, the Department of Resource Mobilisation -- created some months back -- has identified 94 parking sites which are expected to generate Rs 7 crores; and formulated a policy for setting up of 1,500 kiosks on a BOT basis for better utilisation of vacant land.

A scheme has also been formulated for regularising the unauthorised construction in 39 markets for checking the unplanned growth and optimising revenue. The income is also expected to increase by the liberalisation of issuance of health and trade licenses.

On the developmental front, the MCD plans a herbal garden at Ring Road with 125 medicinal trees, herbs and plants. As many as 16 municipal parks with statues of eminent people will be developed and two new Sanitary Landfill Sites will be developed at Narela- Bawana Road and Bawana-Kanjhawla Road.

During 2001-2002, 80 km of urban roads and 50 km of rural roads will be widened and 300 km of roads will be strengthened. Upto March 2002, 150 km of footpaths and 200 km of drains will be constructed. Three community halls and five flyovers also figure in the Budget proposals.

The Municipal Councillors Fund is proposed to be increased to Rs 75 lakhs from the existing Rs 60 lakhs and Rs 3 lakh for each municipal ward will be earmarked for providing adequate street lighting.

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