Surat gets Rs 10,593 cr draft budget, Rs 593 cr hike is its highest yet

The SMC has started preparing to implement the “Urban Green Policy” to make the city greener. Green standards will be set up at the ward level across the city. Special “Green officers” will be appointed for the maintenance of the environment who will constantly monitor greenery at ward level. Under “Tree Health Card” the health of every three in the city will be surveyed periodically and its proper maintenance. With this initiative, Surat will make a significant contribution to achieving the ‘Net Zero’ target of the Government of India by 2047 and will become the second city in the country to adopt such a policy.

Special attention is given to developing the famous ‘Letchworth – Garden City Concept’ as part of modern urban planning in Surat. A feasibility study will be conducted by the municipal administration to examine the possibilities of implementing this concept in the city. An attempt will be made to achieve harmony between the residential area and nature through the Garden City model, thereby improving the living standards of Surat’s citizens.

Under the Swachh Vayu Survekshan 2024, conducted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Surat secured 1st rank in the country (among cities with a population over 10 lakh).

The city’s major economic activities are done in the diamond and textile industries-dominated areas and the SMC has allocated Rs 22 crore for purchase of latest equipment to deal with fire and rescue operations.

SMC commissioner M Nagarajan said, “Ground-mounted solar park having capacity to generate 10 MW, had been operational in December, wherein over 1.73 crore units of power will be generated, which will help in the reduction of power bills of SMC worth Rs 13 crore per annum.”

Apart from this, SMC will introduce a new concept to educate children found begging at traffic signal junctions and other places. For this, SMC authorities will coordinate with Surat district legal Service authorities and start “Signal School” in the near future.

Prioritising women’s safety and hygiene in urban infrastructure, Surat Municipal Corporation has emphasized establishing ‘Pink Toilets’ in busy areas and public spaces. These facilities will ensure safe access for women and include modern features like sanitary pad vending machines and incinerators. This initiative aims to bring significant relief, particularly for women and women hawkers visiting the market. The primary goal is to position Surat as a leader in women-centric amenities and to further advance the ‘Swachh Surat’ initiative.

The Surat Municipal Corporation has set a draft budget of Rs 180.38 crore for the Environment Cell for the year 2026-27, a significant increase over last year’s revised budget of Rs 135.49 crore. The main objective of this budget is to promote the “Circular Economy” in the city. To this end, it is planned to generate revenue from waste through projects such as waste-to-steam and waste-to-energy, and to maintain the environment by controlling methane gas emissions. These initiatives will reduce dependence on landfill sites and conserve natural resources.

In the coming years, the Municipal Corporation plans to launch several ambitious projects through Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). A new policy will be developed and implemented, particularly focused on the disposal of textile and industrial waste. Additionally, a plan to create an e-waste policy aims to manage electronic waste efficiently. These initiatives primarily aim to reduce pollution, enhance public health, and transform Surat into a cleaner, more sustainable city. There will also be specific arrangements for collecting and processing garden waste to convert it into valuable resources.

The projects proposed under ‘Healthy Surat’ place a strong emphasis on infrastructure and digital technology. Under this scheme, comprehensive audio-visual counselling centres for maternal and child health will be established at all urban community health centres, and the ‘Matri Aadhya’ guide will be launched in the e-health application.

To improve service quality, plans include obtaining NQAS certification for all new health centres in the city and developing five “Model Health Centres”. In addition, management capacity will be enhanced by setting up dedicated drug stores for medicines supplied by GMSCL, and mobile health clinics will be operationalised under the “Health Care at Door Step” initiative, especially for vulnerable slum areas.