BMC Approves Rs 430-Cr Annual Budget For 2018-19 Fiscal

Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation on Wednesday unanimously passed the annual Budget of Rs 430 crore for 2018-19 fiscal.

Out of the major income, holding tax would yield Rs 46.49 crore, advertising revenue Rs 18.37 crore, trade licence Rs 6.03 crore, users fee Rs 19.66 crore, NOC Rs 11.84 crore and parking Rs 4.90 crore, grants from state and Central government would amount to Rs 228.89 crore.

The major expenses would include Rs 67.79 crore for municipal solid waste (MSW) management, sanitation, sweeping and transport of the MSW, establishment, salary and other expenses would be Rs 77.86 crore, administrative expenses Rs 7.22 crore, operation and maintenance costs Rs 4.21 crore and old age pension, NULM, Ahaar and Animal Birth Control would be needing more than Rs 21 crore.

Welcoming the Budget, BMC Mayor Ananta Narayan Jena requested the corporators to take up development commitments in their respective wards in a time bound manner.

Municipal Commissioner Dr Krishan Kumar called for a drainage improvement plan in coordination with all line departments as the city roads belong to PWD, BMC, and directed the Engineering wing and Drainage Division of BMC to prepare a monsoon plan well in advance.

BMC Finance Standing Committee Chairman Sk. Nizamuddin presented the Budget.

The final Budget proposal approved by the Council would be sent to state government for approval.

The Council also passed a proposal for Special Development Plan (SDP) of under-developed wards, mostly in periphery areas of BMC. There will be two categories i.e. Category A wards, which would get a grant of Rs 1 crore and Category B wards, which would receive Rs 50 lakh each to expedite regional development at ward-level.

There will be six wards—No 4,5,18,23,49 and 65 under the first category, while seven wards i.e. Ward No 3,22, 44, 59, 64,66 and 67 will be included in the second category.

The funds will be only used in the under-developed segments of these respective wards and would not be used elsewhere.  The list of under-developed pockets will be prepared by Zonal Deputy Commissioners (ZDC) and would be monitored by the Additional Municipal Commissioner.

For each SDP, a detailed document would be prepared by the ZDC and the Executive Engineer Concerned of BMC for that area. This special plan will be finalised for taking up BMC service improvement works on priority projects like street lighting, waste management, construction of community building (kalyan mandap), park, play ground, neighbourhood market and big road or drain projects.

The Council was also briefed about the ambitious Biju Yuva Bahini to motivate youth between 15 and 35 years to promote youth, sports and related activities as the original programme of Sports and Youth Services Department would be implemented in ward-level through BMC.

Apart from the Mayor and Commissioner, CEO of Bhubaneswar Smart City Limited Vineel Krishna, BMC Additional Commissioner Subham Saxena and senior officials from BMC and several other line departments were present at the meeting.

Corporators of 67 wards also took part in the discussion and Deputy Mayor K Shanti gave vote of thanks.