Civic Budget crosses Rs.1000 Cr mark proposal by Sandeep Naik.

Presenting the first ever over Rs.1000 crore civic budgets Municipal Commissioner Vijay Nahata announced a slew of developments projects on February 13, Mr. Nahata handed over a copy of the 2008-09 NMMC Budget Proposals to the Standing Committee Chairman Sandeep Naik.

The good news is that citizens have been spared of any tax hike, with the stress on all round city development k eeping in mind the increasing population.

NMMC expects to earn a total income of Rs. 1297.01 crore in the coming Fiscal. This includes and envisaged cess income of Rs. 225.03 crore (constituting 17.35% of the total expected income), property tax income of Rs. 161.32 crore (12.44%), development charges income of Rs 56 Crore (4.32%). Water charges income of Rs 73.56 crore (5.67%), Rs. 22.25 crore income by sale of Morbe Dam waters (1.72%), government grants of Rs. 28.97 crore (2.23%), loan from MMRDA amounting to Rs. 220.52 crore (17%), funds from the centre under the JNNURM to the tune of Rs. 189.65 crore (14.62%), soft loans from the centre under JNNURM amounting to Rs. 151.72% crore (11.70%).

On the expenditure from Rs.379.30 crore (28% of the total envisaged expenses of Rs.1296.97 crore) has been earmarked for development projects under the JNNURM, Rs.276.77 crore (21%) has been set aside for civic engineering works, Rs. 153.38 crore(12%) for Morbe Dam acquisition, Rs.62.76 crore (5%) for administrative expenses , Rs.58.74 crore for water supply, Rs.73.11 crore (6%) for sewerage system, Rs.27.04 crore (2%) for street lighting , Rs.54.12 crore(4%) for solid waste management, Rs.40.03 crore(3%) for public health, Rs 63.41 crore (5%) for other civic amenities, Rs.30.10 crore (2%) for education, Rs.8.50 crore (1%) for public transport.

The 2009-09 budget aims at undertaking 14 important projects, including completion of concretization of Thane belapur road from MIDC to Mahape and Mahape to Uran at an estimated Expenditure of Rs.114.39 crore. Repairs and maintenance of roads within the APMC market complexes at a cost of Rs. 41.29 crore, With the final stage of Mrobe dam being completed, and the immense transfer of the dam to NMMC and taking of the peripherila projects like dumping stations and laying of water mains, would meet the water needs of the city for next 25 years, said municipal commissioner Vijay nahata. He also put forth NMMC plans to build flyovers acroos road junctions on the palm beach Marg. Multi storyed and underground parking has been proposed to ease the parking problems of the city.