Amidst allegations by opposition Telugu Desam corporators that many important sectors were ignored, the budget for 2012-13 was passed by the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) council meeting here on Friday.

The budget to the tune of Rs.1,886 crores was presented by mayor P. Janardhan Rao on January 9 and was passed on Friday morning. The major chunk of the budget, around Rs.160 crores was allotted for various development and welfare programmes for SCs, STs and women.

Around Rs.115 crores was allotted for the construction of houses under the JNNURM scheme and Rs.100 crores for the fly over at Aseelmetta Junction and the Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS). This is the last budget by the present elected council.

The current GVMC council term ends on February 26. The budget proposals increased enormously to Rs.1,200 crores after it became the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation. Last year, it was around Rs.1,900 crores.

TD floor leader Kona Tata Rao said that the GVMC had failed to focus on provision of infrastructure to promote primary education. “There are no concrete steps or schemes in the budget announced for eradication of poverty. There is no focus on education, health, public transport in the present budget,” said Mr Tata Rao.

CPI(M) and CPI corporators alleged that enough time was not given to discuss the annual budget.