New Delhi: Asia’s richest civic body the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday (February 4, 2023) presented a budget of Rs 52,619.07 crore for the year 2023-24 with emphasis on health, education and infrastructure. The Budget Estimates crossed the Rs 50,000 crore mark for the first time and the Shiv Sena (UBT) called it a “path to financial bankruptcy”. However, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) termed the budget as “truly for Mumbaikars”.
BMC commissioner and administrator Iqbal Singh Chahal said, “It is for the first time in the history of the country’s richest civic body that the budgetary estimate for the financial year 2023-24 has crossed the Rs 50,000-crore mark and capital expenditure is more than 50 per cent.” is more.” Said.
The budget estimate for the financial year 2023-24 is proposed at Rs 52,619.07 crore, which is an increase of 14.52 per cent over the budget estimate of 2022-23 i.e. Rs 45,949.21 crore.
Chahal said that he had received 8-9 written suggestions from Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis and most of them have been incorporated.
“Based on these suggestions, one such facility ‘Aarogyam Kutumbum? (Family Health) will be launched. 15,000 health workers will conduct door-to-door screening of 35.1 lakh families living in BMC jurisdiction for hypertension and diabetes patients,” Chahal said. do.” This will be a permanent scheme in BMC,” he said.
BMC budget: Rs 6,309.38 crore for health, Rs 2,319.37 crore for primary education
According to budget documents, the total expenditure for health is estimated at Rs 6,309.38 crore, which is 12 per cent of the total budget, while that for primary education is Rs 2,319.37 crore and for water supply and sewage disposal is Rs 10,015.92 crore.
The BMC has made a provision of Rs 3,545 crore for the coastal road project, which is expected to be completed by the end of this year, Rs 2,825 crore for traffic operations and roads, Rs 800 for the BEST undertaking as against Rs 1,382.28 crore in the financial year crores in FY 22-23 and Rs.227.07 crores for Fire Brigade as against Rs.300 crores in FY 22-23.
The budget estimate of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation for the year 2023-24 was presented today at the Municipal Corporation Headquarters.@CMOMaharashtra @Dev_Fadnavis @dvkesarkar @MPLodha @ Iqbal Singh Chah2 #bmcbudget pic.twitter.com/eL9hG1fHgc– My Mumbai, Your BMC (@mybmc) February 4, 2023
At least 12 new projects were announced in the budget, including construction of footpaths on both sides of roads of 9 meter width, digitization of classrooms in civic-run schools, air quality monitoring and family health scheme.
The BMC will launch a scheme for 41,774 students studying in classes 9 and 10 in 249 civic-run schools, under which existing schools will be renamed “Mumbai Public Schools and Skill Centres” and students will be given vocational courses in AI, parallel fashion designing. Training will be provided. , robotics, automobile technology, electronics, tourism etc., to prepare them for employment.
Chahal said out of 7,934 classrooms in BMC schools, 1,300 would be made digital in the next financial year as suggested by the chief minister.
Under the air pollution mitigation plan, the civic body will set up 14 air purification towers for Rs 3.5 crore each in seven administrative areas, besides installation of air purification machines at five other places in the city. An amount of Rs 50 crore has been earmarked in the budget for the installation of these towers.
Chahal said that by the end of 2023, BEST will have 3,400 e-buses in its fleet.
The BMC will come up with a “pedestrian first” policy in which footpaths will be made on both sides of roads that have a width of 9 meters or more.
According to Chahal, the fixed deposits of the civic body stood at Rs 88,000 crore.
According to the budget document, the BMC will draw Rs 7,400 crore from its FD for the coastal road project, as well as construction of the Goregaon-Mulund link road and sewage treatment plant. The BMC will dole out Rs 5,376 crore for other expenses and Rs 5,970 crore for “internal temporary transfers”.
The civic chief also said that the BMC will also use the Rs 15,600 crore infrastructure fund money, created by levying a host of premiums.
Chahal said, “Big infrastructure projects cannot be completed by taxing the public. After all, these FDs are made with public money. So if we have to give pucca roads, coastal roads, STPs to the public, we Will spend it.” Said.
BMC budget paved the way for Mumbai’s financial bankruptcy: Shiv Sena’s Aaditya Thackeray
Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray said BMC is “pro-contractor” which will lead to financial bankruptcy of Mumbai.
He also demanded the BMC to explain the budget “increased expenditure in pro-contractor”.
“Today’s BMC budget shows that it has started paving the way for Mumbai’s financial bankruptcy,” he said.
Though it is good that no big ticket project has been announced through the budget as demanded @advanilparab Yes earlier and I through a letter to BMC, BMC has shown overspending on old projects, which is unnecessary.
Obviously, this is a contractor driven budget— Aaditya Thackeray (@AUThackeray) February 4, 2023
BMC budget ‘truly’ for Mumbaikars: BJP’s Ashish Shelar
Mumbai BJP president Ashish Shelar said the budget cuts are not for people working for commission and contractors, but it is “really” for Mumbaikars.
“The budget is not just in favor of contractors, but it is a budget made to meet the demands of Mumbaikars,” he said.