Mysore/Mysuru: Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner G. Lakshmikantha Reddy said that the MCC has achieved more than 80 percent of 2022-23 Budget target.

He was speaking at the 2023-24 Pre-Budget Meeting of the MCC at the MCC Old Council Hall here yesterday.

Maintaining that more than 80 percent of the 2022-23 Budgetary allocations have been achieved, he said that the MCC collected Rs. 170 crore as Property Tax and Rs. 93 crore as Water Tax this year which is much higher as compared to the previous years. The higher collection of taxes and revenue earnings under different heads, has helped the MCC clear the pending bills of contractors, he said.

Three service stations

Contending that many projects and plans announced in the previous Budget have been implemented, the Commissioner said that at present, there is only one fuel and service station for servicing MCC vehicles, in the MCC Main Office. Now, work order has been issued for setting up of 3 more service stations close to Vidyaranyapuram Sewage Plant and the new Waste Disposal Plants at Kesare and Rayanakere in the city outskirts  for faster and better servicing, repair and maintenance and fuelling of MCC vehicles, he said. 

Each of these service stations will cater to the needs of vehicles under the control of three MCC Zonal offices, he added.

Projects taken up

Continuing, Lakshmikantha Reddy said that development of prominent Circles in Narasimharaja (NR) and Chamaraja Assembly segments has been taken up.

Besides, the badly damaged Male Mahadeshwara Road in Nazarbad has been repaired and Also, the sports complex coming up at Dattagalli is nearing completion, an action plan has been prepared for construction of a Football Stadium in NR Constituency and development of Devanur Lake is going on, he said.

MCC Zonal offices to have own buildings

Noting that some of the 9 MCC Zonal offices are functioning from rented buildings, the MCC Commissioner said that tender has been invited for construction of MCC Zone 7 office, while the estimate for construction of MCC Zone 8 office has been prepared, construction of MCC Zone 3 and 5 offices has already begun, work order has been issued for expansion of MCC Zone 4 office and construction of a new building for MCC Zone 9 office. Further, the works on the construction of MCC Zone 1 office is almost complete, he pointed out.

Development of crematoriums 

Pointing out that the crematorium at Gokulam and Ghousianagar have been developed, the MCC Commissioner said that the MCC has evolved plans for the development of all crematoriums and burial grounds across the city.

Referring to the transfer of Library Cess to the Department of Libraries, Lakshmikantha Reddy asserted that there is no impropriety in the transfer of Library Cess in the past two years.

Maintaining that the collected Library Cess is not used for any other purposes, he said that, however, the accumulated balance runs upto almost Rs. 20 crore, which will be transferred to the Department in instalments, as a big amount cannot be paid at once considering the MCC’s revenues and spending.

Many Corporators, who spoke, raised issues concerning road repair works, drainage works, sanitation and such other civic amenities in their areas and wanted the MCC to allot funds adequately for addressing the issues. They also wanted an appropriate mechanism in place for more scientific disposal of wastes as the garbage issue should be addressed on priority, with the city growing rapidly.

Mayor Shivakumar, Deputy Mayor Dr. G. Roopa, heads of the four Standing Committees — R. Nagaraj, Savitha, H.M. Shantakumari and V. Ramesh — MCC Additional DC Roopa, SE Mahesh, Council Secretary Rangaswamy, Corporators and other officials were present.