Pune: Due to lack of revenue collection, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) Standing Committee has presented a budget of Rs 5,870 crore for the year 2018-19. Standing Committee Chairman Murli Mohol has increased the budget by Rs 473 crore as compared to the Municipal Commissioner's draft budget of Rs 5,397 crore. Re-development of Balgandharva Rangamandir, accident policy for sportspersons, free sanitary napkins for girls and special cabin for senior citizens are few highlights of the budget, which was presented to the General Body meeting on Tuesday.
Committee has given thrust on completion of ongoing projects instead of introducing new ones. Development of infrastructure is one of the major highlights of budget 2018-19. Metro, Pune Mahanagar Parivahan Mahamandal (PMPML) strengthening, constructing flyovers and bridges, purchasing new buses and cycle track development for bicycle scheme works are included in the budget.
There is no alternative road to Sinhagad Road and, therefore, the Standing Committee has planned to build a tunnel that will connect Sinhagad Road to Katraj area. Besides this, there is a river bridge proposed to connect Sinhagad Road to Karve Nagar area.
Mohol said, “I have tabled a realistic budget as corporation revenue generation has gone down. There is a very limited source of income such as property tax and development charges. The State government is giving an aid to the GST. Therefore, we have not introduced popular schemes in the budget. Accidental policy for sportspersons, free sanitary napkins for girls, special cabin for senior citizens in the main building are some of the new schemes included in the budget.”
He further said, “I have sanctioned money to earlier projects so they are completed as early as possible. Bhama-Askhed water supply project, Shivshrusti, development of newly merged villages, Taljai hills to Sinhagad Road tunnel, corporation-runs schools development and garden development have been given priority in the budget.”
“We have introduced a new income source for the corporation. It includes giving corporation structures, school grounds on rent for different social functions," he added.
Highlights of budget
- Special cabin for senior citizens in the main building
- Accident policy for sportspersons
- Rs 25 crore for Shivshrusti
- Rs 10 crore for re-development of Balgandharva Rangmandir
- Rs 1 crore for free sanitary napkins
- Rs 98 crore for development of newly merged villages
- Rs 2 crore for Taljai hill to Sinhagad Road tunnel
- Rs 150 crore for garden development
- Rs 2 crore for ward cleanliness mission
- Rs 87 crore for Bhama-Askhed Project
- Rs 73 crore for new bus purchase
- Rs 20 crore for heritage structures
