Visakhapatnam: Civic body sends Rs 1,000 crore Budget proposal to AP government
VISAKHAPATNAM: Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) has proposed a budget of Rs 1,000 crore to the state government for the improvement of roads and drains in the merged villages and other parts of the city. “We are planning to provide 100 per cent infr-astructure such as water supply and CC roads in 32 villages and one municipality that have now all been merged with GVMC. We have sent a Rs 1,000-crore proposal to the state government to provide infrastructure fa-cilities at panchayat layouts in these extended ar-eas,” GVMC commissioner M. Hari Narayanan said here on Wednesday.
When asked about the available funds, he said, “As of today, we have around Rs 260 crore worth work on hand such as CC roads, drains, steps, community halls and toilets.” GVMC has its own fun-ds, capital funds and fu-nds received from state government. But so far contractors’ bills amou-nting to Rs 50 crore is still pending. According to Mr Naray-anan, property tax collection has been increased and would amount to Rs 123 crore till September this year, as compared to '90 crore in the same period last year. Instead of organising tax collection drives, the GVMC is now focussing on improving amenities and has moved to ERP (Enter-prise Resource Planning) system.
The civic body has called for tenders for geographical information system (GIS)-based survey of properties under a state government project with the assistance of World Bank. Dara Shaw organisation will carry out GIS-based taxation system in all zones except Zone-II. Andhra Univer-sity has taken up digital imaging of the properties in Zone II area using GIS.
Tax collectors have identified under-assessed and un-assessed properties within the municipality limits. “In the next two months, we will focus on the under assessed and un-assessed properties. We have already issued special notices to these property owners,” Mr Narayanan said. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), almost 18,000 houses have been sanctioned to the beneficiaries in three categories. Over 10,000 households have availed subsidy in beneficiary-led construction category. Housing department has approved more than 4,000 houses for eligible beneficiaries under Hudhud relief project.
Another 4,000 houses have been sanctioned under Affordable Housing Programme (AHP). The commissioner said the AP Township Infrastructure Development Corporation (APTIDCO) had floated tenders for six residential layouts under AHP. Site-level exercise has been completed at Aganampudi and Satyanarayanapuram.
“Almost 60 per cent of the beneficiaries have paid the registration fees. Already, construction work has been started in phase-1. This year, 13,000 houses will be sanctioned in phase-2. Beneficiaries will be selected soon,” he added.
