Kozhikode corporation budget: Focus on women empowerment, welfare projects
KOZHIKODE: Women empowerment and social welfare projects got prominence in the Kozhikode Municipal Corporation’s budget for the fiscal year 2017-2018. The budget presented by Deputy Mayor Meera Darsak, who is also the financial standing committee chairperson, proposed an income of Rs 398 crore and expenditure of Rs 385.87 crore with a surplus of Rs 12.12 crore. It also included a carryover amount of Rs 32.55 crore from the previous financial year. Detailed discussion over the budget will be held on Friday and Saturday.
In her speech, the Deputy Mayor said that the Assembly elections held last year reduced the pace of implementing projects during the last fiscal year and requested the state government to either allot more time to spend the funds earmarked for various projects last year or to permit the civic body to utlise the funds during the coming financial year. The budget has earmarked funds for a transparent and smooth office, Jetty tourism project at Elathur, ‘She Lodge’ for women, efficient streetlight system, exploring solar energy, cemetery for animals, Kidson Corner renovation project, scientific waste management project, health complexes, comprehensive health service, permanent exhibition centre at Varakkal and renovation of existing facilities of the Corporation.
The Corporation is expecting a revenue of Rs 32.05 crore from property tax, Rs 16 crore from professional tax, Rs 10 crore from land and building rents, Rs one crore from advertisement tax, Rs two crore from D&O trades, Rs 40 lakh from Bus stand fee, Rs 8.5 crore from building construction and Rs nine crore from entertainment tax. The budget is also expecting an expenditure of Rs 24.65 crore for road repairs, Rs 10.82 crore for maintaining establishments handed over to the Corporation, Rs 1.5 crore for building repairs , Rs 3.73 crore for streetlights, Rs 40 lakh for parks and gardens, Rs 35 lakh for water, Rs 30 lakh for markets and Rs 25 lakh for cemetery.
