Bengaluru: The annual budget of BBMP was presented on Monday with a total outlay of Rs 8,994.41 crore, emphasizing on solid waste management, web-enabled initiatives, welfare schemes for Pourakarmikas and some key infrastructure projects.
M Shivaraju, BBMP Taxation and Finance Committee chairperson who presented the budget said, “I have made an effort to present a realistic budget for the year 2016-17 based on the actual receipts and payments. I also made a sincere effort to provide grants to all the zones and wards,” Shivaraju said.
Largely depending on State government grants, which has allocated Rs 4,222.29 crore, the budget expects Rs 3,175 crore from property tax, Rs 50 crore from market rentals, a meagre Rs 145 crore from advertisement, Rs 407 crore from optical fibre cables division, Rs 372 crore from town planning section and Rs 42 crore from trade licences.
The budget has given more funds for waste processing units, contracts and more men and machines and most importantly it has taken steps for the well-being of sanitation workers. It is an attempt to erase the dubious distinction of ‘garbage city’ that Bengaluru had earned in the last few years due to poor waste management.
Mayor B N Manjunatha Reddy terming the BBMP budget as practical, said that he was confident of achieving more than 80 per cent of the targets set in the budget. He said that the Congress- JD (S) coalition in the Palike had lifted the civic agency out of utter mismanagment.
“We have increased our expenditure on welfare schemes to Rs 750 crore and enhanced the grants for constructing houses for SC/ST and weaker sections from Rs three lakh to Rs four lakh per house. Sandhya Kuteera scheme to build old age homes and midday meals for the senior citizens and Pourakarmikas are some of our welfare initiatives,” the Mayor said.
However, Opposition BJP leader Padmanabha Reddy described the BBMP budget a bogus one.
Highlights
Thrust to rid Bengaluru of ‘garbage city’ tag
Mid-day meal for senior citizens, pourakarmikas
Allocation for welfare schemes for pavement vendors, transgenders
Separate outlay for total environment upgradation
Budget outlay Rs 8,994.41 cr
