BANGALORE: Short stay homes for women in distress, old age homes and more day care centres for senior citizens, evening colleges for students who want to earn while they learn and expansion of "Sanjeevini", the supplementary nutrition programme for nursing and expecting mothers in all wards; these and many more welfare measures are being planned in Bangalore Mahanagara Palike's (BMP) budget for 2006-2007, which is likely to be presented on March 24.

Sources in BMP told The Hindu on Tuesday that the budget will focus on welfare measures, especially for women. "With the BMP going to polls this November, extra care is taken to introduce a good number of citizen-friendly schemes.

The ruling Congress in the BMP does not want to spare any effort in making the budget a "pro-poor" and "citizen-friendly one," the sources said.

With last year's proposals of smart health cards for poor families and vans for three youths in each ward not being successful, BMP wants to initiate new schemes that can be implemented. "We plan to set up short stay homes for women in distress. Such women, who suddenly move out of their houses after a tiff with their husbands or in-laws, need a secure place where they can stay till their problem is solved or till they settle somewhere else," the sources said.

Sources said the scheme proposed by Mayor Mumtaz Begum will be launched in her ward (Shivajinagar) initially.

"A short stay home and an old age home will be first set up near the Hafeeza Urdu School in Shivajinagar.

Some social welfare organisations have come forward to manage these homes," the sources said.

The outlay this time is likely to cross Rs. 2,000 crores and officials and members of the Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance (T and F) are busy preparing the final budget estimates.

BMP Commissioner K. Jothiramalingam and his team of officials have presented a Rs. 1,800-crore draft copy of estimates to the committee last month for finalising the budget.

"The committee members, who are conducting department-wise review meetings, will consult leaders of all parties and residents welfare associations before arriving at the final figures," the sources said.

No new levy

The new property tax scheme based on the capital value of a building is not likely to be introduced this year too.

"Although this scheme is being planned from the last five years, it may not be introduced this year as it happens to be an election year," sources said.

While the levy of the solid waste management cess, which has been introduced with effect from January 1 will continue, the much-delayed infrastructure cess is not likely to be introduced this time, sources added.

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