Telangana Budget largely ignores GHMC, HMDA, HRDCL

HYDERABAD: Like last year, it appears that the State government has completely neglected the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) while making allocations in its Budget for 2021-22. Finance Minister T Harish Rao, who presented the Budget in the Assembly on Thursday, did not announce any fund for major development works pertaining to roads, nala improvement and sanitation. This means that GHMC officials will have to fend for themselves and raise their own resources to carry out the works. 

The only allocation the government has made for the corporation in this year’s Budget is in the form of property tax for government buildings in the twin cities, which is Rs 7.50 crore, and professional tax compensation of Rs 10 crore.

The GHMC had submitted a proposal, seeking about Rs 2,300 crore allocation in the Budget for Comprehensive Road Management Programme (CRMP), construction of 2BHK houses, modernisation of nalas and storm water drains, road development, construction of flyovers and other developmental works.

In its proposal, the GHMC sought Rs 170 crore for modernisation of nalas, Rs 445 crore for storm water drains, Rs 560 crore for greenery and  ‘Telangana Ku Haritha Haram’ and Rs 296 crore for various developmental works like road improvement and remaining funds for creation of basic amenities, infrastructure, basti dawakhanas, construction of community halls, public toilets and for new projects to be undertaken in the next financial year.

Not just the GHMC, the government seems to have neglected the Hyderabad Road Development Corporation Limited (HRDCL) too. Same goes for the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), as the government earmarked only Rs 470 crore as loans for ORR and Rs 10 lakh for development works.