The Kolkata Municipal Corporation, battling fund crunch, is anticipating some breather in the forthcoming financial year.

Despite facing burdened financial phases, the civic body is hoping to witness another year of improved fiscal deficits in its proposed annual budget 2024-2025, introduced by KMC mayor Firhad Hakim at the House today.

For the current fiscal, the civic body had an estimated deficit of Rs 146 crore till the year-end. However, post-revision in the estimates, the deficit is anticipated to stand at Rs 126.37 crore. The municipal corporation is anticipated to open the next fiscal with a cumulative deficit of Rs 1962.90 crore under the revenue fund. The KMC estimates an expenditure of Rs 5166.52 crore and an income of Rs 5166.52 crore. However, expecting some breather for the next financial year, the municipal corporation is anticipating witnessing a further improvement in the fiscal deficits that are estimated to stand at Rs 112 crore in 2024-2025.

As pointed out by the mayor of KMC, the annual budget of the civic body has had fiscal deficits for a long time. “The fiscal deficits in the budget have been there since long. From Rs 2,000cr it has been reduced over the years. But it cannot be eliminated overnight and would take some time to get rid of it,” claimed the mayor.

The civic body is said to have achieved success in property tax collection which is the main source of revenue for KMC. The municipal corporation has collected Rs 1068 crore in 2023-2024 till 27 January which is about 10 per cent higher to that of last year’s collection during the corresponding period.

As informed by Mr Hakim, a significant achievement has been made by the KMC in long-pending disputed cases of tax collection. According to the mayor, about Rs 650 crore have been collected from such pending cases through personal efforts of the KMC officials. The KMC plans to honour its officials in future who would perform well in tax collection.

The solid waste department with a proposed budget of Rs 666.66 crore followed by the water supply department with Rs 444.97 crore, and sewerage and drainage department Rs 335.69 crore and road department Rs 318.22 crore emerged as the major gainers in the proposed annual budget. According to Mr Hakim, a lot of thrust has been given in the proposed annual budget on the water supply and roads departments. Around Rs 700 crore are to be spent on water supply after which, drinking water crisis in areas like Jadavpur and Garia would cease to exist. The mayor also urged the councillors of the House to gear up for the upcoming summers and report issues of water supply in their respective wards directly to him or the KMC for immediate remedial actions.

Notably, in the last budget proposal, the KMC had taken a target to generate revenue of Rs 500 crore from advertisements and make the rules for it more stringent. However, as the loss of revenue from advertisements continues, the civic body is now planning to launch a policy for advertisements. As informed by the mayor, even though the policy has been drafted, it is yet to be passed at the MMiIC meeting for further nod.

Can be taken as an inset

The Thika Controller Office was inaugurated by the mayor of Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Firhad Hakim today. The office has been opened at the KMC headquarters for the convenience of thika tenants for providing fast and effective thika services like mutation, building NOC, thika lease.