GHMC approves heavy budget of Rs 6,224 cr, BJP creates chaos in meeting

HYDERABAD: The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has approved a whopping Rs. 6,224 crore budget for 2023-24, with Rs. 775 crore earmarked for Strategic Road Development Projects (SRDP) and Rs. 510 crore for Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) and Rs. 150 cr for Comprehensive Road Maintenance Programme (CRMP) works.

The budget was unanimously approved by the GHMC general body.. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) corporators protested against these budget estimates presented by GHMC Mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi.

After the approval, she adjourned the meeting for 15 minutes.

She said that those who didn't do anything for the public had no idea about the numbers and, therefore, were creating chaos. Later, the meeting resumed, and all parties, except the BJP, who were given first chance to speak, presented their opinions and arguments about the budget.

In 2021-22 the budget estimate was Rs 6,300 crore and the expenditure was just Rs 5,647 crore. "The Budget Estimate for the financial year 2023-24 proposed Rs.6,224 Cr duly considering the developmental and maintenance requirements," the mayor said.

The Total receipts were pegged at Rs.6,224 Cr (rupee in) consisted of revenue income of Rs 3,967 crore and capital receipts of Rs 2,257 cr.

The GHMC said that Property Tax would be the major source of revenue of about Rs 2,000 crore, contributing to 32 percent of the total revenue in. "The Increase in PT Receipts is due to 100% assessment of new properties and mutation automatically on registration of property, without human interface."

Town Planning receipts were estimated to collect Rs.1,750 crore, consisting of building permission fees, impact fee, developmental fee, Transferable Deposit Receipts (TDRs) of Rs 500 Cr etc., contributing to 28 percent of the total receipts.

Pattana Pragathi and 15th Finance Commission grants were estimated to receive Rs.836 Cr which is 13 percent of the total receipts.

Other Income, estimated to receive Rs.422 Cr, was seven percent of the total receipts, consisting of Trade License Fee Rs.100 Cr.

Assigned revenues of Rs.100 Cr, deposit works of Rs.50 Cr, Lease charges from communication poles Rs.32 Cr, Road Cutting and Restoration charges Rs.25 Cr, Interest on mandatory Fixed Deposits Rs.25 Cr, Advertisement Fee Rs.20 Cr, Estate Receipts Rs.11 Cr, Mutation Fee Rs.10 Cr etc were all constituting receipts.

Borrowings of Rs.1,218 crore, 20 percent of the total receipts, were estimated to fund the major developmental projects of GHMC.

The total expenditure (rupee out) of Rs.6,224 crore consisted of revenue expenditure of Rs.2,667 crore and capital expenditure of Rs 3,557 crore.

Establishment expenditure of Rs.940 crore, 15 percent of the total expenditure; amount allocated towards salaries of Rs.536 crore, pensions and retirement benefits of Rs.250 crore, remuneration/wages to other outsourced workers of Rs.130 crore and health care and medical insurance/reimbursement of Rs.24 crore formed part of expenditure.

Health and sanitation expenditure of Rs.1,048 crore, 17 percent of the total expenditure, amount allocated towards sanitation section workers wages of Rs.530 crore, vehicles maintenance cost of Rs.50 crore, vehicle fuel cost of Rs.65 crore, solid waste management expense of Rs.350 crore and other health section expenditure of Rs.53 crore were also forming part of the expenditure in the budget of FY23.

Roads, flyovers, bridges, RUB, ROB and traffic signals expenditure of Rs.1,530 crore, 25 percent of the total expenditure, amounts allocated towards Strategic Road Development Projects (SRDP) of Rs.775 crore, Comprehensive Road Maintenance Programme (CRMP) works of Rs.150 crore, other road development works of Rs.505 crore and maintenance of Rs.100 crore constituted the expenditure.

Budget Estimate towards land acquisition cost is Rs.700 crore, 11 percent of the total expenditure, including land acquisition through TDRs of Rs.500 crore would be part of the spend.

Nalas expenditure of Rs.510 crore, eight percent of the total expenditure allocated towards Strategic Nala Development Programme (SNDP) would foster the nala construction. Other amounts marked under the expenditure included Rs.230 crore, General Fund Nala Developmental Works Rs.230 crore and Maintenance Works Rs.50 crore.