Bhayandar : Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) chief Achyut Hange presented a Rs1,538 crore draft budget to standing committee chairman Harishchandra Amgaonkar for the fiscal year 2016-17 on Friday.
While no tax hike has been proposed in the Rs16 lakh surplus budget tagged with expected expenses of Rs1,537.84 crore, the budget can be defined in just one line – no tax hike, no new projects. The yawning gap between the estimated and actual income levels speaks volumes about the desperate attempts by the administration to present inflating figures in the budget. Even as the actual revenue generation stands at around Rs 400 crore, funds procured as grants and loans availed from various government agencies occupy a lion’s share in the draft budget.
“For timely repayment of loan installments and to ensure financial stability of the corporation for funding ongoing and upcoming infrastructure projects, it is the need of the hour to enhance revenue generation and tap new avenues,” Hange said.
However, residents can heave a sigh of relief as the civic administration has not proposed any hike in taxes this year. The standing committee will discuss the draft budget and place it before the general body for final approval.
With no new projects in the anvil, the civic chief seems to have actually spelt out his plans of striking a proper balance between the shrinking revenue and completing the ongoing development projects instead of introducing new ones.
The civic administration has proposed to spend Rs177 crore to augment water supply by 75 MLD, Rs 70 crore for cleanliness and solid waste management, Rs18 crore for Bhayandar station sub-way and Rs 130 crore for the completion of the underground sewerage system.
