The Hindu : Rs.1.41 cr. surplus budget for MCC

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Mar 28, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka

Rs.1.41 cr. surplus budget for MCC

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE March 27. The Mayor, T.B.Chikkanna, on Thursday presented a surplus budget of Rs.1.41 crore for the Mysore City Corporation for 2003-04. Reading out the budget proposals after the Chairman of Standing Committee on Finance and Taxation, M.C.Chikkanna, walked out, creating a crisis, the Mayor outlined an expenditure of Rs.102.97 crore from an income of Rs.104.38 crore.

During the year, the City Corporation proposes to raise a revenue of Rs.56.91 crore from the civic body's own resources against a revenue of Rs.35.14 crore mobilised last year (2002-03).

The civic body's own resources do not include government aid, ADB aid, Plan Fund, advances and loans. It comprises property tax, levies, water tax, development fee penalty, rent from Corporation's buildings, license fees, betterment fee, debris fee, etc.

To add to the Corporation's own resources this year is the fine on use of proscribed plastic, katha transfer fee, service fee levied on Union Government buildings, service tax from cable operators, high-tech hospitals, etc.

The Mayor said the Corporation's income would go up on account of the proposed transfer of 13 new layouts from the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to it this year.

Kabini

A significant aspect of this year's budget proposals is the earmarking of Rs.1 crore for the preliminary works relating to implementation of Kabini Drinking Water Project for the city. Pointing out that Rs.50 crore was needed to complete the project, the Mayor said the balance would be obtained as loan. The project has become necessary in view of the poor water level at the KRS.

Meanwhile, Mr. Chikkanna said arrangements had been made to draw eight million gallons per day from Hongalli Pumphouse. "An estimate of Rs.85 lakh has been prepared and approval for the project has also been sought. To begin work at the earliest, the tender process is under way,'' he said.

To supplement drinking water supply, Rs.1.15 crore had been set aside for installing borewells and fixing them with electric and handpumps.

Property tax

Mr. Chikkanna said the Corporation planned to mobilise Rs.16 crore this year from property tax. Though the Corporation had decided to collect property tax on the basis of an earlier assessment till the loopholes in Self-assessment Scheme were rectified, the civic body hoped to raise more funds from property tax through the new scheme.

Apart from constructing a sub-way at K.R.Circle, the Corporation proposed to construct commercial complexes over large under-ground drainages. The Corporation had decided to pay premium for a health insurance programme of the Oriental Insurance Company, which would bear the expenditure for treatment of deadly diseases among women from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Backward Castes and Economically Backward Classes. "This programme will benefit 10,000 families,'' he said. As per a Government circular on 18 per cent financial reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, the City Corporation has set aside Rs.3.15 crore for 2003-04. Of this, 40 per cent each will go to education and development works and 20 per cent for other programmes."

The City Corporation had decided to submit to the Government a representation seeking more financial allocation to the civic body. "When Hubli-Dharwad City Corporation is receiving Rs.1.99 crore as government aid every month, it is not just on the part of the Government to provide Mysore City Corporation with Rs.1.03 crore,'' Mr. Chikkanna said and urged the Government to sanction at least Rs.1.5 crore every month to meet the salary expenditure of Corporation employees.

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Rs.1.41 cr. surplus budget for MCC