GHMC’s highest ever budget passed

The 2014-15 annual budget of the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) was passed unanimously by all the 150 corporators at a special budget meeting on Monday. The Rs 4599 crore budget is the highest ever allocation made in the past four years. Mayor Majid Hussain emphasised the additional responsibility of the GHMC in the wake of bifurcation of state. All the corporators appreciated the civic body’s recent initiative of providing subsidised hot meal. A few of the councillors however were weary over the implementation of the initiatives. TDP floor leader Singireddy Srinivas Reddy advised the GHMC to stay in touch with the employees at the grassroots level for better administration.

Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain chaired a special budget meeting of the GHMC on Monday. The corporation passed the Rs 4599 crore budget which is the highest ever allocation made so far. “The city now has a greater role to play, as the common capital for Telangana and as a residuary state of Andhra Pradesh. This is the eighth budget of the GHMC and the fifth and the last to be presented by the current elected body,” said Majid Hussain.

5 food scheme appreciated

The general body appreciated the GHMC’s novel idea to serve a hot meal for Rs 5 for about 15,000 poor people. Many insisted that the project should cater to even more beneficiaries.

A few hindrances in the budget were pointed out by the floor leaders. They have asked the Mayor to take due steps to rectify them.

Apart from these issues, it was also made clear that the GHMC should assess all the properties within its purview because in some places like LB Nagar, the property tax rates are 14.5 per cent higher than the core area. After the meeting, it was announced that Rs 1.5 crore would be allocated to all the circles in the core area and Rs 2.25 crore for those in the peripheral areas for developmental works.

It was also informed that GHMC would be implementing the Tax Increment Financing (TIF).