Budget may not impress

Mar 26, 2012 |

Kochi

Tags:

Budget

The Kochi corporation annual budget to be presented on Tuesday may not have any major developmental projects.

Sources in the corporation said that the civic body was in deep financial crisis and so could not undertake any major development projects using its own funds.

The focus of the budget this time would be on externally-funded projects and those proposed on a public-private partnership basis.

The budget, the second of the UDF-led council, for the year 2012-2013 will be presented by the deputy mayor, B. Bhadra, who is the chairperson of the finance committee.

“As the corporation is in a severe financial crunch, no major development projects can be undertaken. We can only look at implementing externally-funded projects,” admitted the corporation town planning committee chairman, K.J. Sohan.

The civic body has failed to implement big projects highlighted in the previous budget. Flagship projects like ‘Cochin First’ and E-governance as well as other schemes including the modernisation of street lights, a solid waste treatment plant in Brahmapuram and a sewerage treatment plant have made little headway.

The corporation opposition leader, K.J. Jacob, said he did not expect anything substantial in the budget which would not have any major announcement made either.

"The corporation needs a realistic budget. It should find new sources to increase its income rather than overstate so as to make it a surplus budget. There should be effective economic management,” he said.

No projects announced in the previous budget have been implemented to address basic issues like solid waste management, sewerage waste disposal and water-logging, Jacob added.

The total income for the year in the previous budget was put at Rs 864.6 crore and expenses at Rs 841.24 crore, with a surplus of Rs 15.23 crore.

The total income included the Rs 519.65 crore allotted to the civic body under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project (KSUDP).

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