• Rs.10 lakh each earmarked for 65 Wards to fight COVID 
• D. Devaraj Urs Road to be developed at a cost of Rs. 5 crore
• Rs. 4 crore for construction of multi-level parking lots near Sub-urban bus stand and Gaadi Chowk

Mysore/Mysuru: After a delay of nearly two months due to the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) presented a Rs.7.36 crore surplus budget for the year 2020-21.

Reading out the budget at the MCC Budget Council Meeting held at its Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar Hall here this morning, K. Nirmala, Chairperson of the MCC’s Standing Committee on Finance, Taxation and Appeals, said that the MCC has recorded a surplus budget of Rs.7.36 crore, with earnings standing at Rs. 878.79 crore and expenditure at Rs. 871.43 crore.

Pointing out that the MCC had expected a revenue of Rs. 157.25 crore from Property Tax, Khata transfer and Khata certificate fees, Nirmala said that the MCC was able to collect only Rs.129.35 crore till March 2020 end and hopes to collect the remaining in due course. 

Stating that the MCC will be facilitating online property tax payment system soon, she said the MCC hopes to collect Rs. 157.70 crore as property tax this year (2020-21).

Referring to water tax and UGD charges collection, she said that the MCC had set a target of Rs. 89.24 crore, out of which Rs.55.64 crore has been collected so far. The target for this year on this account has been set at Rs.86.25 crore, she noted.

She further said that the MCC hopes to collect Rs. 9.92 crore from Building licence fee, Road-digging fee, Betterment fee, Inspection fee, Water connection fee, Building Completion Report (CR) fee, UGD fee, Penalty etc. The MCC has set a target of Rs.8 crore revenue collection from Trade licence renewal fee, she added.

Referring to MCC’s collection of rentals from the properties owned by it, she said that the MCC hopes to earn Rs.2.93 crore as rent from commercial complexes, markets and other buildings.

On Central and State Government grants, Nirmala said that the MCC had hoped for Rs.39.35 crore from the State’s open fund for the year 2019-20. But Rs.26.66 crore has been received till March 2020 end and the Government has sanctioned Rs.19.39 crore grant from this fund for the current year (2020-21).

Stating that the MCC has received in full Rs.71.86 crore which it had sought for payment of power bills in respect of street lights and water pumping stations, she said that the Government has sanctioned Rs.75.23 crore on this account for the current year. 

She further said that the MCC received Rs.64.94 crore from the State Finance Commission as grant towards wages of MCC officials and other employees in 2019-20 and the Government has allocated Rs. 68.52 crore towards the same account this year.

Continuing, Nirmala said that this year, the Government is expected to release Rs.25 crore under Mahatma Gandhi City Development Plan and Rs.15 crore for comprehensive development of Chamaraja Assembly segment. 

Rs.5 crore Dasara grant 

The MCC is also expecting Rs.1 crore from the State Government towards addressing drinking water woes during summer, Rs.5 crore as Dasara special grant in the first instalment, Rs.2 crore for construction of houses for Pourakarmikas and Rs.50 lakh under JNNURM scheme.

Highlighting  MCC’s plans, she said that D. Devaraj Urs Road in the heart of the city will be developed at a cost of Rs. 5 crore and Rs.4 crore has been allotted for  construction of multi-level parking lots near the KSRTC Sub-urban bus stand and near Gaadi Chowk.

Rs.10 lakh each for 65 Wards 

The MCC has earmarked Rs.10 lakh for each of the 65 Wards for distribution of face masks, hand sanitisers and grocery kits to the poor and needy during COVID-19 lockdown, she added.

Mayor Tasneem, Deputy Mayor C. Sridhar, MCC Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde, Opposition leader M.U. Subbaiah and several other Corporators and officials were present at the budget meeting.