No new tax in Karnal MC Budget
Karnal Mayor Renu Bala Gupta presented the first budget of her third consecutive tenure with the Karnal Municipal Corporation (KMC) on Tuesday. No new tax has been imposed in this year’s budget.
With permission from the Mayor, who chaired the Budget meeting in the presence of Karnal MLA Jagmohan Anand, KMC Commissioner Dr Vaishali Sharma, senior accounts officer Balwinder Kumar Jaggi read out the Budget. Meanwhile, Kavinder Rana, the representative of Karnal MP and Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, along with councillors, and officers from various departments were also present there.
A budget of Rs 394.25 crore was approved by the House. The budget prioritises development works and aims at generating new sources of income.
As per the Budget, the opening balance of the MC stands at Rs 211.95 crore, while the projected income is around Rs 312.58 crore. This brings the total estimated available balance to Rs 524.53 crore. The projected expenditure matches the passed Budget at Rs 394.25 crore.
To generate income, the MC is relying on the recovery of property tax, development charges, and the sale of its vacant plots. The estimated revenue sources include Rs 33.70 crore from property tax, Rs 35.11 crore from rent and lease, Rs 4.75 crore from sales and auctions, Rs 19.81 crore from various charges, Rs 5.41 crore from fees, Rs 1.80 crore from fines and compositions, Rs 6.20 crore from interest, Rs 84.10 crore as miscellaneous income, and Rs 2.40 crore from loans, advances, or deposits. The corporation is also dependent on government grants.
The proposed expenditures include Rs 80.31 crore on establishment costs, Rs 9.39 crore on administrative expenses, Rs 54.72 crore on sanitation and solid waste management, Rs 76.08 crore on operations and maintenance from own resources, Rs 7.22 crore on other expenditures excluding development works, and Rs 137 crore on development projects.
“Our focus is on development work. We will ensure inclusive growth of the entire city without any discrimination,” said the Mayor.
Karnal MLA Jagmohan Anand said, “It was a healthy Budget session in which the Budget was passed unanimously. Our goal is the city’s development, and we will work together to achieve it.”
Commissioner Dr Vaishali Sharma assured the House that all genuine demands would be addressed on priority. “Our main agenda is the development of the city,” she added.
During the meeting, the House also discussed strategies for increasing the MC income and enhancing transparency in development projects. The agendas raised by the councillors were also discussed.
