Amritsar MC sends Rs 452-cr budget to Dept of Local Bodies

Tribune News Service

Charanjit Singh Teja

Amritsar, April 1

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has sent a budget of Rs 452 crore for the year 2023-24 to the Local Bodies Department for approval. In the current budget, the MC has increased the targets of income and funds for development. The MC had kept a budget of Rs 381.55 crore in the year 2022-23.

At present, due to the absence of elected general house, MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi has been deployed as the administrator of the MC and able to execute powers of the MC House. Following this the Municipal Commissioner has sent the budget to the Local Bodies Department for approval under Section 87 (1), 86 (2) of the Municipal Corporation Act, 1976.

MC Commissioner Sandeep Rishi has conducted the budget meetings with the officials of various departments and got the details of income and expenditure during last few days. The Deputy Controller-Finance and Accounts (DCFA) of the MC prepared the budget and sent it to the agenda branch. The MC Commissioner sent it to the government for approval. A provision has been made in the budget to spend 72 per cent on staff and 25 per cent on development and 3 per cent for emergency.

The MC has set targets for each department of estimated income in the Budget. In which MC will collect Rs 45 crore from property tax, Rs 15 crore from water supply sewerage, Rs 12 crore from advertisement department, Rs 55.5 crore from building fees and development charges of town planning, Rs 20 crore from sale of properties, Rs 5 crore from rental properties, Rs 4 ccr from street vending, Rs 12 crore from road cutting, Rs 20 crore from electricity duty, Rs 15 crore from pending excise duty, Rs 4 crore from license fee, Rs 5 crore from cow cess. A target of earning crores of rupees has been set for the budget from regulation of illegal colony and hotels, slaughter house and other items.

Rishi stated that in the estimated budget of the year 2023-24, the target of income of each department has been increased. He said apart from this no new tax has been imposed in the budget. He said that development has been given priority. Rs 113 crore has been kept in the budget for the development of the city. Apart from this, grants will be released from the government for development.

No new tax

In the estimated budget of the year 2023-24, the target of income of each department has been increased. No new tax has been imposed. Rs 113 crore has been kept in the budget for the development of the city.Rs Sandeep Rishi, mc chief