Nagpur’s ‘ambitious’ civic budget gets through

Several Opposition members hit out at the ruling party for skipping several projects launched during its three-year term, while announcing more in this budget. They further alleged that the budget finds no mention of the arrears which the NMC has to pay to its employees for the implementation of Fifth Pay Commission.

The Leader of the Opposition alleged that the BJP had not allocated adequate funds for development of localities of weaker sections in proportion to the present budget proposal.

Setting off the onslaught against the ruling party, Nationalist Congress corporator Pramod Darne claimed that the budget was far removed from reality and reflected lack of planning and will on the part of the BJP. He said that despite having failed to meet the revenue targets last year, the BJP had set higher targets, which according to him were difficult to achieve.

According to him, the lowering of Octroi in the process of rationalisation of octroi rates had cost the NMC a lot of money. While business has increased, octroi revenue has not kept pace.

Hitting at the BJP’s tie-up with an NGO for development of Nag and Pili rivers, Darne asked NMC office bearers to explain on what grounds the NGO was selected despite not having prior experience in this field.

According to Leader of the Opposition and RPI Corporator Prakash Gajbhiye, the NMC has not been able to address basic problems like drinking water, garbage disposal etc, while it is going ahead with an `unrealistic’ budget. He claimed that the budget makes no provision of adequate funds for the development of backward class localities.

Defending the budget, Leader of the ruling party, Ashok Goyal termed it as a `milestone’. Goyal claimed that the budget provides sufficient attention to the basic duties of the NMC namely water, roads, street lighting, health and primary education. According to him, 52 percent of the total outlay was being spent on capital expenditure, while only 23 percent was being spent on revenue expenditure.

He termed the allegations as `unfounded’ that Octroi collection has dropped. According to him, in the last 50 days it has shown 16 per cent hike over the corresponding figures of last year. The revision of Octroi rates on certain commodities will accrue nearly Rs six crore, he said.

As regards property tax, Goyal said that even if the NMC were to collect 80 percent of the tax demand of Rs 55 crore placed last year, it would accrue Rs 45 crore. Add to this the outstanding tax of nearly Rs 10 crore, the NMC will cross its Property Tax target of Rs 50 crore set this year, he said.

Former RPI corporator Nana Shamkule, who is now associate member of the ruling party, justified the budget targets. According to him the Property Tax target could be crossed if the NMC brings nearly six lakh tenements under tax net, which it is yet to cover. Similarly, the NMC at present bills only 30 per cent of the total drinking water. If the percentage was to be increased to 60 percent, the water tax target could also be reached, he said.

Shamkule also advocated curtailment of unnecessary expenditure and felt that non-grant schools be closed. He demanded that the NMC allot Rs 2 crore for the Dr Ambedkar Memorial and grant ownership rights to slum-dwellers.