The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) on Monday presented Budget Estimates (BE) of Rs 3935.91 crore for financial year 2018-19 with a focus on electronic and mobile governance for transparency and accountability in delivery of services. It has also reiterated the emphasis on the Smart City project started in 2015.

In his maiden Budget as NDMC Chairman, Naresh Kumar projected total receipts of the BE 2018-19 for capital receipts are Rs 3935.91 crore against Rs 3677.24 crore provided in Revised Estimate (RE) 2017-18. The actual receipts in 2016-17 were Rs 3465.20 crore.

The BE 2018-19 for revenue receipts are Rs 3388.71 crore against Rs 3183.53 crore provided in RE 2017-18 and actual of Rs 2996.11 crore in 2016-17.

Addressing a news conference onthe budget, Naresh Kumar said, ”We have placed a positive budget before the Council where expenditure will be less.”

”NDMC’s mission and overall goal for the coming financial year will be smart electronic and mobile governance, Smart City initiatives, resource conservation, smart social and physical Infrastructure to make New Delhi a vibrant Smart City,” Mr Kumar said.

It has also proposed to completely digitise the process of applying for electricity and water connections in the NDMC area in 2018-19. This system will be 100 per cent online with definite timelines within which the departments concerned will grant sanctions to citizens applying for these services from 2018-19. This project has been carefully designed to ease the application process and to prevent the citizen from having to run from pillar to post.

The Council has also proposed to upgrade NP Bengali Girls & NP Girls Schools, Gole Market into a School of Excellence. “I propose that these two schools will be upgraded as a School of Excellence in 2018-2019. Also development of Lodhi Road Campus into a School of Excellence” said Kumar.

There is also a proposal of installing smart poles under PPP model at multiple locations in the NDMC area aimed to make available free Wi-Fi to the public, alongwith CCTV surveillance and environment monitoring in the next year .

The NDMC will develop recreation and sports facilities in the green belt known as Shera Maidan by providing facilities like synthetic football field, tennis courts, jogging track, outdoor gymnasium and toilet block. The work will be completed in 2018-19.

The civic body will conduct a tree census which would be completed in 2018-19. “There is a necessity of having comprehensive information on the number, kind and health of trees on all avenue roads. Therefore, I am proposing trees census on all avenue roads in 2018-19 and digitise this data for better tree management. This will form baseline database for New Delhi green cover which will help in scientific management of these trees including need of replacement of aged avenue trees.”

The proposed tree census will capture scientific and popular names, girth at breast height, height, crown area, GPS location, etc., of such trees.