NMC’s Rs 2,796 cr budget focuses on healthcare, devpt; no new taxes

 

 

 

 

 

 NMC’s second budget during COVID-19 pandemic has enhanced outlay, keeping an eye on elections next year

With focus on strengthening the health infrastructure of city, Standing Committee on Friday presented civic budget wherein it enhanced outlay to Rs 2,796.07 crore but without any new tax.

 

Prakash Bhoyar, Chairperson, while tabling the budget before Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) House maintained the line taken by administration and refrained from tinkering with taxation structure as he indicated later talking to newspersons at Civic Headquarters, Bhoyar said it is indeed an election

budget but our leadership has clear focus, to wrap-up ongoing development projects that would make Nagpur a much better place to live in.

 

He said that COVID-19 has brought in sharp focus the need for adequate health facilities and hence funds of Rs 55 crore are earmarked in the budget. He however did not provide bifurcation for the same but most probably same would go in meeting expenses incurred during the second wave of COVID-19 that was quite devastating. Moreover with prediction of third wave, the allocation would enable NMC to rollout needed measures without having to wait for clearances and other procedures. Bhoyar said the health along with development and two key focus area of the civic budget as there is need to balance both to achieve the desired results.

While Municipal Commissioner's budget had an outlay of Rs. 2607.60 crore, the one presented by Standing Committee was higher by nearly Rs. 188..47. Justifying the same, Bhoyar said the hike is quite modest, just 10 per cent and said existing situation due to COVID-19 pandemic is kept in mind while finalising the revenue target for administration and rising expectations of citizens and finishing ongoing projects on time. Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari has been advocate of creating new facilities to address gaps in existing health system and Standing Committee has backed the same with single largest allocation to Health Department.

 

In his budget speech Bhoyar said Standing Committee has not proposed a new development projects and for second year in succession to avoid creation of additional financial liability for cash starved civic body. The focus again in civic budget remains on finishing ongoing development projects, mainly the cement road works, as incomplete stretches is resulting in negative vibes in citizens and that is something that ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is keen to avoid.

 

The House would take-up discussion on budget later in next week and after that approve the financial outlay of Standing Committee.

 

Deputy Mayor Manisha Dhawde; Avinash Thakre, Ruling Party Leader; Tanaji Wanve, Leader of Opposition; Municipal Commissioner Radhakrishnan B; Additional Commissioners Jalaj Sharma, Ram Joshi, and Sanjay Nipane; Dr Ranjana Lade, Secretary, NMC, were present at the meeting that was held via video conferencing.

Breast feeding a baby can be dangerous in a situation where many mothers have coronary heart disease after childbirth. With this in mind, it is decided to set up a 'Mother Milk Bank' for babies. The scheme will be implemented at Panchpaoli Maternity Hospital through the Maternal and Child Care Committee.

As was expected with no major internal accruing, NMC budget development focus remains concentrated on GST compensation from State Government that is expected at Rs. 1253.43 crores. Further Rs. 187.55 crores is expected as Capital grants from State. So nearly 50 per cent of NMC's budget outlay depends on State's grants. Thus NMC has to focus on new revenue streams to keep pace with people's expectations.

Standing Committee in a bid to mop up targeted revenue under Property Tax head has proposed a rebate of 10 per cent to provide incentive to tax payers. Prakash Bhoyar said NMC has kept revenue target at Rs. 289.43 crores and this is single largest source of income. With digitisation of record about one lakh additional properties is added in database and this is expected to increase the income flow to coffers. Earlier, 5.40 lakh properties were tagged through Geo-enabled mechanism and now one lakh more is added. So if property owners pay entire year's tax by June 30, NMC would provide 10 per cent rebate and 5 per cent if payment is done by December 31. Similarly, one time settlement (OTS) scheme is continued this year also to enable clearance of huge arrears of water cess.

 

NMC is also betting high on Town Planning department to generate revenue and though the target is kept at modest Rs. 87 crores but Prakash Bhoyar said he expects same to be crossed well before December. In last two months alone, Rs. 40 crores is generated by civic body since Maharashtra Government allowed 100 per cent increase in processing charges. Also State Government has notified new development control rules that has allowed 10 per cent additional FSI so it is goods news for civic body.

Standing Committee has eyed a new source of income by framing a policy for disposal of e-waste. Talking with newspersons, Bhoyar said he expected an annual revenue of Rs. 5 crores and soon tender would be floated for appointing an agency. The policy would also address concern of protecting environment. Also he has proposed overhauling the outdoor advertising policy that is now 20-years old.

A sum of Rs. 52.44 crores is earmarked for land acquisition to take-up cement road works of Kelibagh Road, Old Bhandara Road, Model Mill to Ramji Pahelwan Square, Gaddigodam overbridge, Wardha Road fly-over, Pardi fly-over, Geetanjali Square to Gandhisagar. These works were identified in budget of 2018-19. Another lion's share of Rs. 63.16 crores is reserved for completing ongoing cement roads of Phase-I, II & III.

 

 

Standing Committee has estimated total revenue of NMC for financial year 2021-22 at Rs 2,476.07 crore, further there was surplus of previous year of Rs 320 crore and thus total income is assumed at Rs 2796.07 crore. Prakash Bhoyar said keeping the final figure in mind the financial body has assumed that Rs 2,795.77 crore would be spent on various project leaving NMC with surplus of just Rs 30 lakh.

 

Health related programmes: Vande Mataram Nagari Arogya Suvidha Kendra Project Scheme that would be formalised at 75 places in city. Giving details of the programme, Bhoyar said each of the centre would be named after martyred soldiers and their photo and brief of the exploits would be displayed. The Kendra would be named after the soldiers who were awarded Param Vir Chakra, Ashok Chakra and Veer Chakra.

 

Mayor’s vision improvement plan: Mayor's Vision Improvement Scheme is being launched at initiative of Mayor Dayashankar Tiwari with intention of curing people suffering from squint. The surgery will be performed jointly by NMC and Mahatme Netrapedhi by leveraging existing Government schemes. Mayor Netra Jyoti Yojana: Similarly, civic body would conduct free cataract surgery in every ward by organising eye check-up camps through 'Mayor Eye Jyoti Yojana'. NMC will also provide Health schemes in name of Mayor... free spectacles to patients after the surgery. This scheme will also be a joint venture with Mahatme Eye Foundation.

 

Mayor's Essential Medicine Fund: NMC intends to set up a 'Mayor Essential Medicine Medical Bank' in collaboration with social organisations, traders associations, industrial houses and the corporate sector with the objective of providing essential medicines to the poor and needy. To distribute medicines NMC will appoint a committee that will finalise criteria for beneficiaries.

 

Mayor Medical Instruments Materials Fund: In many ailments, equipment purchased is disposed of after the patient is cured. NMC intends to utilise such instrument collected through donation to make them available to needy people. A committee of all the NGOs working in the city working to provide such tools will be formed by the NMC and through them materials will be made available to the needy at nominal rates.

 

 

Property Tax 289.43

Revenue Grant 1418.80

Water Supply 201.02

Market 0.51

Estate 4.95

Fire 1.72

Town Planning 86.19

Health 8.84

Public Works 0.81

Public Works 0.01

Electricity 12.50

Hotmix Plant 5.01

Other Deptts 29.18

Other income 47.68

Capital Grants 187.55

Capital loan 50.00

Deposits 115.80

Advance Income 12.07