The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) today placed its budget for the financial year 2022-23, seeking to spend a total of Rs 4410.11 crore for development, mainly in ‘backward wards’ under its administrative limits. Mayor Firhad Hakim highlighted new projects towards rendering better municipal services to the citizens.

In the 2022-23 budget, though the total expenditure estimate is Rs 4410.11 crore, the civic body seeks to clock a revenue of Rs 4233.11 crore, leaving a deficit of Rs 177 crore in the upcoming fiscal year from April. The budget statement also highlighted that the coming financial year opens with a cumulative deficit of Rs 2,423.70 crore – a considerable amount that had raised hue and cry recently, when the issue of non-payment of pension to KMC retired employees, due to shortage of funds, came to the fore.

The mayor, Firhad Hakim, addressing the media, assured that the revenue crunch was mainly due to the Covid situation where revenue inflow was disrupted but is now expected to improve. He said the tax collection has increased after the payment method was switched to online mode. But, the mayor claimed that the KMC may be able to cover up the enormous cumulative deficit amount by the end of the next financial year. He also admitted that it may also fail to do so if hit by another Covid wave. He highlighted, presently, an assessee can avail 50 per cent interest waiver and 99 per cent penalty waiver if they clear their outstanding property tax dues.

Further, he highlighted that KMC is now focussing on developing its ‘backward wards’ which otherwise were known as added areas. “Certain wards, such as 127,128, 141, 140, 138, 109, 108, 57 and 58 are though under KMC, are yet to be developed to urban areas from their semi-rural state. He said such wards need improvement in roads, lighting, drinking water etc. “A portion of the last set of loans from the Asian Development Bank will be spent towards this.”

To improve the city’s drainage system and prevent waterlogging in some areas, a new drainage pumping station will be constructed in Nawab Ali Park, for which tenders will be floated soon. A high-capacity pump at Palmer Bridge and another at Ballygunge pumping station will be replaced by new ones to augment capacity.

On water supply, he said another 10 MG balancing reservoir-cum-pumping station has been put into operation to enhance the capacity of Garden Reach Water Works. At Indira Gandhi Water Treatment Plant, Palta, capacity was increased through a new 20 MGD water treatment plant. Additionally, one underground reservoir and one elevated storage reservoir have been commissioned at the Patuli booster pumping station.

On roads, he said, an initiative has been undertaken by KMC to improve 4- km long roads in SP Mukherjee Road and DPS Road using environment-friendly techniques that are found in a new batch mix plant of KMC, set up at Goragaccha.