With an increase of 10 to 15 per cent, the 2010-11 financial year budget is likely to cross Rs 2,400 crore for the first time in the history of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). The municipal commissioner will table the proposal for general public on Tuesday.
Not only due to the whopping monetary targets, but this will be a landmark budget for the civic body in many other ways. For, it will make provisions for rainwater harvesting and urban forestry for the first time, indicating the seriousness of SMC in taking up issues related to global warming.
With Sixth Pay Commission implementations taking full effect and priority being given to infrastructure for areas that have been joined into the city in the last 2.5 years, the ruling party will be asking for a sharp spike in its budget outlay in the last year of its present rule. As the priority is water, drainage, roads, health and light in new city areas, the budget setters may take a cue from Ahmedabad and suggest increase in property tax and user charge.
Sources in SMC also said that emphasis will be given on completion of existing projects and sufficient allocations are being made for projects like Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), rubber barrage and cable bridge projects.
A source also said that this year SMC will concentrate on urban transport, environment-friendliness and infrastructure projects.
Standing committee chairman Mukesh Dalal said, "Let the municipal commissioner come out with a proposal, we are there to discuss and suggest our amendments."
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