Pandemic shadow on civic budget, Standing Committee pares estimate to Rs 2,500 crore
| Date :21-Oct-2020 |
Civic Budget to First Citizen: Vijay Zalke, Chairperson, Standing Committee, presenting civic budget to Mayor Sandip Joshi as Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B, Manisha Kothe, Deputy Mayor, Tanaji Wanve, Leader of Opposition, look on, at Standing Committee Hall on Tuesday. (Pic: Anil Futane)
Staff Reporter :
Standing Committee on Tuesday presented a watered down civic budget of Rs 2,500 crore as dark shadow of COVID-19 wiped out first eight months of financial year. Further, sticking to populist theory, Vijay Zalke, Chairman, has not proposed any hike in taxes, rather appealed State Government to slash property tax, water cess by 50 per cent to soften pandemic blow. The budget was presented to general body meeting that would discuss it on October 22.
Covid-19 Shadow: Stressed outlook on faces of Vijay Zalke, Chairperson, Standing Committee, and Pradeep Pohane,ex-Chairperson, reflects the dark spell of pandemic that delayed the presentation of NMC budget owing to disruption to normalcy.
(Pic by Anil Futane)
A major thrust of revenue for civic body is still the revenue grant from State Government which is projected at Rs. 1411.21 crores plus Rs. 1236 crores as compensation for Goods and Service Tax (GST). Barring this the internal accruing for NMC from other heads remains negligible, the projection is limited to three figures. Also Rs. 209.20 crores Capital grant is also expected from State Government to NMC. For the first time in history of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), the financial body has pegged its revenue estimates below that of Municipal Commissioner.
Presenting the budget, Zalke said outbreak of pandemic upset all the calculations and also poured water on any grand plans for projection of major gains. Apart form this year estimated, the budget carried forward surplus of Rs. 231 crores and at end of March a surplus of Rs. 25 lakhs could remain with civic body. Zalke said the budget outlay is based on actual receipts and major thrust is laid on revival of ward fund to give big push to stalled development activity in city so that aspiration of citizens are fulfilled. Talking to newspersons, the Chairman sounded optimistic saying "a new course in fiscal management is expected in NMC, as stress is laid on clearing unpaid dues instead of going for new works on major scale." For the same, a provision of Rs. 29 crores is made in the budget for clearing outstanding payments under Revenue Head and Rs. 54.60 crores for Capital expenditure.
Apart from that committed expenditure outlay is made in the budget, Rs. 66.15 crores for Revenue Head and Rs. 197.79 cores for Capital Head. This new system would ensure that criticism directed at civic body being responsible for delaying public projects would be taken care off. Ward Fund Restored: All the project whose work orders, estimated to be around Rs. 347.54 crores, issued prior to lockdown was ordered to be taken up for completion and each of the corporator would get a sum of Rs. 20 lakh for the same. Small works, like laying of storm or drainage network, construction of chambers, clearing of bushes, laying of paver tiles etc., small beautification works are taken-up on demand from citizens in the wards. Revenue Scaled Down: Yes, the Standing Committee has pegged the revenue target below Rs. 47 crores than the estimated of then Municipal Commissioner Tukaram Mundhe in his budgetary figures about four months back, he said in a response to a querry. Nearly eight months of 2020-21 have lapsed and it does not make any sense to give false hopes and rather the financial body stuck to ground realities. Allocation for Kelibagh: Civic budget has also made allocation of Rs. 672.47 crores for six major roads for which land acquisition has to be done.
This includes Kelibagh Road, Mahal, Old Bhandara Road, Itwari, Model Mill to Ramji Pahelwan Square Road, Gaddigodam (for double decker RoB), Wardha Road double decker fly-over, and for Pardi fly-over. For all the six projects some land is needed to be acquired for this compensation would be paid by NMC form its funds and the process is expected to be completed by next year. Geetanjali to Gandhisagar Lake: State Government has provided Rs. 39.20 crores for Kelibagh land acquisition while Zalke said stretch of road from Geetanjali Square till Gandhisagar lake would be widened for which a provision of Rs. 100 crores is kept. For this project State has sanctioned Rs. 14.50 crores so far.
Cement Roads: For completing the pending work of cement road, NMC has taken loan of Rs. 200 crores from Maharashtra Bank of which first installment of Rs. 41 cores was utilised and in current year remaining Rs. 149 crores would be taken. A sum of Rs. 58.19 crores is kept aside for completing cement roads under Package-I apart from Rs. 35 crore for projects proposed last year. Similarly, tenders for Rs. 301.67 crores for new cement roads of 39.53 crores is also proposed for which tenders were already floated. Further Rs. 44 crores is allocated for storm water drains, footpath, square improvements, connecting approaches, rainwater harvesting.
The Standing Committee has pegged total cost of both projects at Rs. 125 crores and the money would be raised partly through grant and external borrowings. Similarly, a sum of Rs. 60 lakh per Prabhag (a group of four wards) is provided in budget under Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Roads Scheme. Since civic administration failed to speed-up sanctions during last year the cost has over shot for the project and added to financial burden this year.
Mobile dispensaries in each Zone Although refusing to state the exact figure allocated under Health head, Vijay Zalke said Standing Committee has proposed 10 mobile dispensaries. These special fitted vehicles fitted with latest machines so as to provide door step medical facility. Zalke said the stress laid on equipping the five civic hospital with ventilators, x-ray units, and other major machinery and NMC mandate is for primary health care. Also two portable dead body cold storage (mortuary box) would also be provided in each zone to be made available to citizens at nominal rent. Standing Committee has also recommended to House to sanction penal action against 16 private hospital mandated for COVID-19 treatment in city for flouting the norms laid down by Municipal Commissioner as per guidelines of State Government. Also a major allocation is made for purchasing latest machines to be utilised by sanitation workers at places where danger is involved. Rs. 6.35 crores is kept for development of crematoriums.
NMC to develop Vande Mataram, Mathematics Garden NMC has proposed to develop Vande Mataram and Mathematics Garden, a new concept, during this financial year, that would add to tourist attraction in city, said Zalke. The first garden will be developed in one lakh sq.ft area of erstwhile Empress Mill land and idea is to have a big memorial to commemorate bravery of fallen soldiers. The second garden, Mathematical, would come-up on 20,000 sq.ft area at Mouza Dighori, the home Prabhagh of Zalke himself. Along side a skating rink will also be laid and provide a new directions to school children. For both the project a provision of Rs 23.47 crore is kept in the budget.
Civic Police Station Vijay Zalke further said NMC would try to put in place separate police station so that dependency on city police force is reduced. The proposal is quite old and Standing Committee is hopeful of creating the same this year. The civic police force can come handy during encroachment removal, realisation of property tax dues and that of water cess.