The Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) chief Sanjay Katkar rolled out a Rs2,297 crore seemingly realistic budget having a meagre surplus of Rs23 lakh for the fiscal year 2024-25 on Friday.
Budget touches new high
From 1,562 crore in 2017, this year’s budget has touched a new high of Rs2,297.94 crore within a span of seven years. The current budget estimates exceed last year’s figures by around 5%. Apart from grants and loans amounting to Rs629.03 crore and Rs541.58 crore, respectively, the Rs23 lakh surplus budget has projected revenue generation of Rs1,065.98 crore from various avenues as against the estimated expenditure of 2,297.71 crore.
Property tax collections continue to contribute lion’s share budgets
Despite a shortfall this year, property tax collections continue to contribute a lion’s share in the annual budgets as the administration anticipates Rs260.10 crore, this year. The other avenues of revenue generation include Rs150 crore (development fees), Rs302.40 crore (GST grant), Rs59.40 crore (stamp duty grants), Rs10 crore (pending LBT arrears), Rs100 crore (water bills), Rs62.27 crore (fire department fees), Rs9.40 crore (advertisement rights) and Rs.60 crore (road digging charges). Although 1,303 posts are lying vacant, administrative expenses mainly salaries to 1403 staffers hovers above Rs189 crore.
"Apart from training focus on tapping new avenues of revenue generation, trimming avoidable expenses, enhancing basic facilities and real-time monitoring of infrastructure projects to ensure completion in a time-bound manner, we have emphasised on better connectivity by mooting a network of cement roads in the twin-city. Health, education, infrastructure, environment and transparent working are the main pillars of our budget," said Katkar.
