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Mayor presents Rs 111 crore deficit budget for Kolkata Municipal Corporation, targets property tax collection to offset gap
Mayor Firhad Hakim presented the budget with an estimated expenditure of Rs 5902.43 crore against an income of Rs 5791.43 crore
The Mayor also said that the corporation has allocated funds for water supply and drainage, road development and maintenance, slum services, commercial projects, solid waste management, and general income and expenditure. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
Mayor Firhad Hakim presented the budget for the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Friday, revealing a deficit of Rs 111 crore for the financial year 2026-27. With an estimated expenditure of Rs 5902.43 crore against an income of Rs 5791.43 crore, the budget outlined a roadmap centred on urban infrastructure and public health.
While the civic body continues to manage a significant cumulative deficit, which is expected to reach Rs 1,279.45 crore by March 2026, the administration remains optimistic about internal revenue growth, with property tax being the primary engine of this growth, with an estimated collection of Rs 1,533 crore, supported by additional Rs 275 crore expected from Building Department fees.
In the previous financial year, the budget deficit stood at Rs 112 crore.
“In a nutshell, in spite of limited financial resources, the civic body has been rendering constant services to the inhabitants round the clock. The employees of KMC have rendered sincere and significant services to the West Bengal government in addition to their normal duties. In the 2026-27 budget, it has to be ensured that funds from the government are utilised to the maximum extent to reduce burden on KMC along with a focus on minimising non-plan expenditure. In this budget, KMC has to prioritise the necessities and there is a need to address the gap between receipts and expenses,” said Hakim.
“Property tax is the main source of revenue for KMC. Keeping that in mind, the departmental staff worked with great diligence to increase the property tax rate. As a result of their initiatives, our property tax has continued to grow in the current financial year as well. The total property tax collection in the financial year 2024-25 was Rs 1,260 crore. Up to December 31, 2025, property tax of Rs 1,042 crore has already been collected, which is over 82 percent of last year’s collection,” he said.
The Mayor also said that the corporation has allocated funds for water supply and drainage, road development and maintenance, slum services, commercial projects, solid waste management, and general income and expenditure.
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