Odisha Civic Bodies Must Spend 25% Of Budget On Slums: Govt

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has directed civic bodies to spend 25 per cent of their budgetary allocations on providing basic services, infrastructure development and other schemes in slums under their respective jurisdictions.

Municipal Administration Director Sangramjit Nayak issued the directive in a letter to all municipal commissioners and the executive officers of municipalities and Notified Area Council (NAC),

Nayak wrote that as per the amendment in the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950 and Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003, a sum of not less than 25 per cent of the amount under capital expenditure relating to development work of annual budget is earmarked for providing basic services and infrastructure to the slums.

He said urban local bodies (ULBs) should take the above amendment into account while preparing the yearly budget and must spend 25 per cent of the budget in the slum areas.

“The spending for the purpose should be strictly monitored on regular basis by assigning quarterly targets and reviewing it at your level,” he added.