Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (DV)

Mangaluru, Jan 26: For the year 2021-22, Mangaluru City Corporation presented a surplus budget, with the opening balance of Rs 283.53, an income of Rs 609.92 crore and with total expected income of Rs 893.45, the total expected expenditure will be Rs 576 crore and the expected final balance is Rs 317.18 crore.

Mangaluru City Corporation chairperson (MCC), standing committee on taxation, finance and appeals, Kiran Kumar presented the budget for the year 2021-22. Kiran Kumar said, "The vision of 2021-22 budget will be on additional importance for nature and water conservation, emphasis on hygiene and cleanliness, special importance for welfare, health and education sectors, importance to complete the pending developmental works and priority will be given to administration and economic improvement."

"MCC will initiate measures to provide trade licence, water bill through digitalization. It will also facilitate online payment of property tax. The corporation has designed software for the trade licence, which includes renewal of trade licence, cancellation, approval, sanction and identifying the status of the license. The software has been designed by KEONICS and it is the initial stage to digitalise MCC. Rs 2.86 crore compensation have been provided to the victims of the solid waste landslide at Pachhanady. Measures have been taken to upgrade Pachhanady dumping yard at a cost of Rs 12.56 under Swachh Bharath Mission for the scientific disposal of solid waste," he said.

He also informed that as part of administrative reforms, the system of paperless office is being introduced in the head office, it will be extended to the other offices of Mangaluru City Corporation limits, with an intention to provide all the services through online.

Speaking on tax income, Kiran Kumar said, "As property tax is the main source of income, the corporation identified 2,05,003 additional assets. Measures will be taken to increase income source by identifying unidentified assets under property taxation. In the year 2021-22, Rs 70 crore income is expected through taxation. Under the supervision of the deputy commissioner (Revenue) formation of Revenue Awareness Cell is being considered to prevent the misappropriation in revenue generation and for the increase of the tax and non-tax income sources.

"For the year 2021-22, MCC would expect Rs 6 crore income, through the taxes on the advertisement. Rs 2.50 crore through non-tax revenue and Rs 4.50 crore income through the trade licence fees. Measures will be initiated to collect tax as per the SDWM bylaw during the property tax and trade licence, therefore, Rs 21 crore income will be expected for the year 2021-22," he added.

Under the welfare programme, MCC provided Rs 30 lac for the family of civic workers who succumbed due to the Covid-19 infection. For the year 2021-22, Rs 25 lac has been reserved to support the sports and culture. The corporation reserved Rs 1.50 crore for the maintenance of street lights under the Smart City Project (PPP model).

Under the 24.10 programme, for the welfare of civic workers Rs 1.60 crore has been spent on the health insurance, safety kit, purchasing site and construction of house and celebration of Civic Workers Day. Meanwhile, Rs 6 crore is reserved for road repair and footpath repair and Rs 6 crore for developmental works. Rs 2 crore has been reserved for the special group of workers to operate during the rainy season. Rs 1.50 crore for dredging of Raja Kaluve in the city. Rs 10.50 crores reserved for water supply including renovation of the pump house and Thumbe vented dam, cleaning of overhead tanks, prevention of water leakage from pipes and supply of water through tankers during summer.

Mayor Diwakar Pandeshwar approved the budget proposal for the year 2021-22.

While BJP corporators, Sudhir Shetty Kannur, Premananda Shetty, Shakeela Kava and other BJP corporators favoured the budget, Congress corporator Shashidhar Hegde termed that the budget is lacking a vision of demand, collection and balance.

"People are gradually coming out from under the effect of Covid-19 pandemic, increase in tax to generate income will burden the poor and middle-class citizens in the city," Hegde said.

He also said that the poor and middle-class are not able to register their property in corporations. He urged the BJP-led state government not to implement the proposed vacant land property tax system, as it would be a burden to the poor and middle-class.

Corporator Naveen D'Souza said that the budget has failed to give importance to the health sector. The budget has not given any importance for the upgradation of Primary Health Centers.

Corporator Lathif said that the council should increase Rs 25 lac grant reserved to support sports and culture to Rs 50 lac

Corporator AC Vinayaraj said, "The corporation has taken an initiative to consult the public regarding the budget through online. But, it would be better if all corporators in the council were taken into consideration to give suggestions."

Corporator Praveen Chandra Alva said, "Revenue generation through hiking the tax would put the general public into trouble. In the budget, there are no projects to increase revenue by constructing commercial complexes or multi-layer parking systems. It is not a good budget, it is a good budget only for the ruling party.

MCC opposition leader Abdul Rauf said, "Without increasing any additional drinking water sources, how can the council provide 24/7 water through the existing water sources. Even today people are facing water scarcity in the city." He also pointed out that Rs 25,000 provided under Kutira Bhagya is insufficient to repair a house, hence it should be increased at least up to Rs 50,000.