MC proposes ₹1,034cr, dept approves ₹968cr

Ludhiana: Against the municipal corporation’s proposed figure of Rs 1,034 crore, the local bodies department has approved the annual budget of Rs 968 crore for the 2022-23 fiscal. The civic body has been advised to spend 1% of the budget allocated for developmental works on environment.
The high targets of property tax, water supply, sewerage and other dues have been reduced. Every year, big targets were set, which were usually not met.
The MC had proposed Rs 130 crore from property tax, Rs 100 crore from water supply and sewerage dues, Rs 22.50 crore from advertisement tax and Rs 24 crore from change of land use. But in the approved budget, the local bodies department has sanctioned Rs 100 crore from property tax, Rs 60 crore from water supply and sewerage dues and Rs 12 crore from advertisement.
The civic body had aimed to spend Rs 502.28 crore on development and other committed expenditures, Rs 500 crore on establishment and Rs 30 crore on contingency. However, in the sanctioned budget Rs 490 crore is kept for establishment, Rs 30 crore for contingency and Rs 444 crore for development works and other committed expenses.
An official said, “Now we will consider expenses according to the sanctioned budget. The unachievable targets are reduced, so it will be a major relief for us.”
The civic body has been asked to revise the rent of all properties as per the new Rent Control Act and pay attention to recovery of dues otherwise stern action will be taken against them. No fresh recruitment will be done without the nod of the local bodies department and no new vehicle will be purchased. The civic body has been advised to get the entire record computerised and train staff to use computers for better results.
For fiscal 2021-22, the MC had proposed budget of Rs 1,064 crore, but local bodies department had approved of Rs 992 crore. For fiscal 2020-21, the proposed budget was of Rs 1,044 crore, but the approved was of Rs 828 crore. In 2019-20, the proposed budget was of around Rs 949 crore, but the approved was of Rs 846 crore.