Mohali MC stamp on Rs 17-cr surplus Budget
Tribune News Service
Mohali, February 12
The Mohali Municipal Corporation approved nearly Rs 17-crore surplus Budget for the 2020-21 fiscal during a special meeting held at the MC Bhawan in Sector 68 here today.
In the next fiscal, the total expected income is Rs 268.72 crore against the total expected expenditure of Rs 251.66 crore with proposed closing balance of Rs 17.06 crore as on March 31, 2021.
GMADA unlikely to give Rs 100 cr: Cong
In the Budget, an amount of Rs100 crore is expected to be received from GMADA for maintenance of public parks, but the chances of the authority giving money are bleak.
— Kuljit Singh Bedi, Congress councillor
Meanwhile, Congress councillors staged a walkout during the proceedings. They staged a protest, alleging that the authorities were not ready to hear their suggestions/points on the Budget.
Kuljit Singh Bedi, who led the Congress councillors’ walkout, which lasted not more than two minutes, said there were some discrepancies in the Budget, which they wanted to bring into the knowledge of the House. “We were not allowed to speak. So we staged a walkout,” said Bedi. He added that in the Budget, an amount of Rs 100 crore was included. “The amount in question is expected to be received from GMADA for maintenance of public parks, but the chances of GMADA giving money are bleak,” he claimed.
Surplus Budget a first: Mayor
The corporation has witnessed a surplus Budget for the first time since its inception in 2015. This is the last Budget of the current term of the MC House.
Kulwant Singh, Mayor
It is to be noted that for the 2019-20 fiscal, the MC had approved a Rs 22.2-crore deficit Budget.
“The corporation has witnessed a surplus Budget for the first time since its inception in 2015. This is the last Budget of the current term of the MC House,” said Mayor Kulwant Singh.
He added that during the next fiscal, major expenditure under the non-committed expenses head would be incurred on strengthening and maintenance of roads (Rs 30 crore) and modernisation of slaughterhouse (Rs 30 crore). “The total expenditure under the non-committed expenses head will be Rs 78.70 crore while it will be Rs 125.31 crore under the committed expenses head,” said the Mayor. As per the Budget, the MC will get Rs 66 crore from Punjab Municipal Fund whereas property tax and advertisement tax would generate revenue of Rs 28 crore and Rs 11 crore, respectively. Works pending for want of funds, clarifies MC chief
While the issue of delay in execution of 200 development works again rocked the House meeting, MC Commissioner Kamal Kumar Garg claimed that the works were being kept pending due to scarcity of funds. “Though the issue is being given the political colour, I must clarify that the corporation has no funds for the pending works. As soon as we get the funds, all these works will be started,” he said. Garg added that there was already a liability of Rs 50 crore on the corporation. “There is no politics in delay of these works,” he said while trying to pacify the agitated SAD-BJP combine councillors.
