As the country’s richest municipal corporation’s, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) budget is announced today, it is learnt that it has utilized only 30% of last year’s budget (2014-2015), which was Rs 31,178 crore
As the country’s richest municipal corporation’s, Brihanmumbai Mun-icipal Corporation’s (BMC) budget is announced today, it is learnt that it has utilized only 30% of last year’s budget (2014-2015), which was R31,178 crore. This year, 2015-2016, the budget is estimated to go upto Rs 34,000 crore.
Of the plans in the 2015-2016 budget, the Roads Department is expected to keep a provision of Rs 3,000 crore in its kitty. File pic
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It also seems that only one of the plans proposed in last year’s budget has worked out. The BMC had planned to create a new department for Business Development, which was to try and ease doing business in the city.
Staff is being recruited for this Department of Business Development that is to target the procedures of setting up a business and deal with a single window clearance, instead of the usual procedure which means procuring various permissions from different departments.
This will help attract new green field investment into the city and development of connectivity and infrastructure in central business districts in Mumbai.
New estimates
In the budget for 2015-2016, the Roads Department could again focus on the five-year master plan of repairing all the roads in the city and is expected to keep a provision of R3,000 crore in its kitty, R200 crore more than last year.
The Fire Brigade will also have provisions for an integrated control room and Rs 10 crore will be announced. The city will also get 90 metres snorkel and three 83 metres snorkels for use by mid year.
The BMC budget, apart from just focusing on completing old projects like bridges yet to be thrown open to people, repairs of roads, pumping station constructions, will focus on Solid Waste Management.
The Solid Waste Management department will have provisions for segregation of waste and appointing a brand ambassador. The expected estimates for both go over Rs 10 crore each. If sources are to be believed, the department plans to also look for a new dumping ground and this is to be announced in the budget.
After long pending court cases, permission could be granted for dumping at Kanjurmarg. The modernization of Deonar abattoir is also planned with an estimated budget of Rs 250 crore.
GST may be announced but the civic body will face a real challenge when its major source of income, Octroi could be replaced by GST (Goods Service Tax) and this is expected to be announced in the budget. This year revenue has dipped since the BMC collected only Rs 5,500 crore against the target of Rs 7,300 crore.
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