GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain on Monday presented the corporation's budget for the financial year of 2013-14 with a total outlay of Rs. 3,800 crores.
GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain on Monday presented the corporation's budget for the financial year of 2013-14 with a total outlay of Rs. 3,800 crores, including a revenue expenditure of Rs. 1,529 crores and a capital expenditure of Rs. 2,271 crores.
Addressing the GHMC council's special meeting, Majid Hussain said that the budget was positioned to reflect the plans and priorities of GHMC for the ensuing year. "Many projects, schemes, programmes and policies are being implemented by the GHMC for the improvement and upgradation of civic amenities in the GHMC area. Greater Hyderabad Development Programme and Slum-Free Hyderabad Project are two prestigious programmes/schemes being implemented in the 2012-13 financial year," he said.
The Old City Development Package, the Charminar Pedestrianisation Project and the Musi Revitalisation Project and others under JNNURM would be continued as spill-over works, the Mayor said. With central government funds under the 13th Finance Commission, plans have been drawn up for infrastructure development for solid waste management, he said.
"Without increasing the tax rates at all, Property Tax collections are expected to go up substantially to Rs. 750 crores next year by implementing 100% verification of properties, that is by bringing all the un-assessed properties into the tax net and by unearthing under-assessment and change of use by property owners and through recovery of property tax dues from the defaulting property-owners," the Mayor said.
Majid Hussain informed that the property tax from state government properties and service charges on central government properties were poised to go up substantially through proper assessment and collection. The state government has also been requested to make a budgetary provision for GHMC in the state budget with respect to property tax on the state government's properties in the GHMC area, he said.
During the year 2013-14, an amount of Rs. 770 crores is expected from assigned revenues. Of this amount, Rs. 300 crores are expected to come from profession tax, Rs. 60 crores from motor vehicle tax compensation, Rs. 360 crores from surcharge on stamp duty, and Rs. 42 crores from entertainment tax. The GHMC also aims to collect Rs. 60 crores by way of D&O trade license fee by the Public Health Department.
The collections from fees and user charges including advertisement from the Town Planning Department are estimated at Rs. 797.75 crores mainly from building permit fees, building development charges, betterment charges, open space contribution, etc.
Of the total budget revenue expenditure of Rs. 1,529 crores, as much as Rs. 752 crores are earmarked towards establishment expenses, Rs. 657 crores towards operation and maintenance, Rs. 51 crores towards administrative expenses.
Under plan grants, the GHMC will get Rs. 962.58 crores which would include Rs. 195 crores under JNNURM, Rs. 150 crores under MMTS Phase-II, Rs. 375 crores under HMRP, Rs. 135.81 crores from the 13th Finance Commissioner grants and Rs. 100 crores under Rajiv Awas Yojna.
The GHMC will spend Rs. 246.42 crores under the Greater Hyderabad Development Plan for the construction of flyovers, widening of roads and development of junctions.
Majid Hussain informed that an amount of Rs. 2,271 crores has been allocated under capital expenditure including Rs. 471.85 crores towards land improvement, Rs. 100 core for buildings, bridges, flyovers and subways, Rs. 87.60 crores for roads and pavements, Rs. 431.20 crores for storm water drains, Rs. 180 crores for water supply, Rs. 50 crores for sewerage, Rs. 44 crores for street lighting and Rs. 664.65 crores for housing.
The GHMC has also allocated Rs. 190 crores for MMTS Phase-II, Rs. 577.50 crores for road-related infrastructure, Rs. 15.50 crores for sports promotion, Rs. 60.85 crores for Green Hyderabad and Rs. 985 crores for poverty alleviation programmes. (INN)