Bhubaneswar: Surpassing previous records, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Saturday rolled out a Budget allocation of Rs1,027 crore for 2024- 25 fiscal, exceeding limits of Rs1,000 crore threshold for the very first time.
The allocation marks a 48 per cent increase from the previous year’s (FY 2024-24) allocation of Rs690 crore.
In his address at the BMC headquarters, Commissioner Vijay Amruta Kulange stated the projected revenue has been fixed at Rs581.28 crore, with a capital income of Rs300 crore. The funds, meanwhile, would get a government allocation of Rs125 crore (from the Housing and Urban Development department) and Rs60 crore from Mukta Scheme. Moreover, he claimed that the grant towards drain and pond renovation would stand at Rs50 crore each.
The maximum allocation of Rs113 crore in the Budget has been earmarked for the ambitious Ekamra Yojana (Ekamra Project), followed by the city’s garbage and waste management (Rs111.19 crore), and Rs105.96 crore for overall city management.
In her address, BMC Mayor Sulochana Das highlighted that the civic body has planned to set up 10 new Kalyan Mandaps and four wellness centres within the city limits. The initiative would provide enhanced benefits to denizens who otherwise face challenges in arranging a budget-friendly hotel for weddings, ceremonies and gatherings.
In an effort to tackle the crisis of waterlogging in low-lying areas of the city, the BMC has also proposed to procure additional pump sets. Despite the initial draft estimate of Rs1492.50 crore, the complete budget proposes Rs1514.45 crore for expenditure, ensuring a balanced approach to city improvement, a statement by BMC stated.
The meeting also marked the presence of Standing Committee Chairperson Preetinanda Routray, Additional Commissioner Subhendu Sahu and other officials.
PNN