The BBMP  has proposed an expenditure of Rs.8488 crores for Bengaluru in its maiden budget session today. The same figure for last year (2009-10) when the city administration was running without an elected council was Rs 3582.02 crores.

P N Sadashiva (BJP), Chairperson of the Taxation and Finance Committee and corporator of the Sunkenahalli ward, presenting the BBMP budget on August 30. BBMP Commissioner H Siddaiah, Mayor S K Nataraj and Deputy Mayor N Dayananda share the dias. Pic: Navya P K.

However, BBMP’s opening balance for 2010-11 was a mere Rs 424.72 cr. The administration proposes bridge the gap with steep hikes in its projected revenues compared to last year and expanded grants from the state government.

BBMP’s Taxation and Finance Committee chairperson P N Sadashiva (Corporator – Sunkenahalli ward, BJP) presented the budget in the presence of Mayor S K Nataraj and Commissioner H Siddaiah.

PROPOSED EXPENDITURE FOR 2010-11

Capital Works – Rs 4878 cr. The largest chunk of proposed expenditure (58 per cent), has gone to capital works. These include

• Rs.1000 cr for constructing multi-storied vehicle parking centres and improving 10 major traffic routes through the BDA  
• Rs 178.24 cr for flyover in Mysore Road from Sirsi circle to Nayandahalli
• Rs 3.95 cr for signal free traffic from Yeshwantpur circle to Outer Ring Road Fifty grade separators at various locations to reduce traffic congestion
• Rs 6 cr for elevated steel bridges or underground tunnels connecting Majestic to City Market, Minerva Circle to Hudson Circle, and Majestic to Okalipuram.
• Rs 40 cr for development of approach roads to International Airport
• Rs 44 cr for development of foot paths in CBD and other roads
• Rs 30 cr for ward offices and infrastructure facilities in new zones
• Rs 25 cr for converting 30 km of road to concrete road
• Rs 5 cr for development of burial grounds
• Rs 40 cr for multipurpose market complex and parking facilities in markets
• Rs 226 cr for remodeling Kalasipalya bus station
• Rs 180.41 cr for constructing Commercial complexes at Gandhi Bazaar, Johnson Market and KR Puram
• Rs.200 cr for Solid Waste Management for five years
• Rs.200 cr for Traffic management and vehicle parking improvement
• Rs 1 cr for fire hazard – response and mitigation plan

Salaries and Pension (Rs 333 cr) and Administrative Expenses (Rs 162 cr) collectively form 6 per cent of the budget (Rs 495 cr). These two categories collectively cost Rs 450.92 cr last year.

• Use of Information Technology in birth/death registrations, Biometric attendance monitoring system to check attendance of employees, automated building plan approval system, web based project monitoring system etc

Health: Rs 336 cr (4 per cent). Last year only Rs 49.29 cr was spent on health.

• Rs 4 cr for mosquito control programme
• Rs 10 cr for constructing new hospitals
• Rs 5 cr for upgradation of BBMP’s Uttarahalli, Guttahalli, Hosakerehalli, Srirampura and Dasappa hospitals
• Health awareness camps, animal birth control, Tayi Madilu Yojane for pregnant women, partnership with private institutions to strengthen health care, banning plastic less than 20 micron
• Solid waste management efforts by creating zero garbage zones, decentralized waste segregation units, development of Mavalli and Mandur villages that are being used for waste disposal etc.

Education, culture and sports: Rs 103 cr (1 per cent) of which 69.5 cr goes to culture and sports; Rs 33.5 cr for education. Last year Rs 27.02 cr was allocated for education.

Corporators reading the budget copy during the presentation. Pic: Navya P K.

• Rs 1.5 cr for Sahitya Bhavana in Kannada Sahitya Parishat
• Rs 1.5 cr for improving schools
• Sweaters to students, extra coaching classes, special training to school and college teachers, partnering with private institutions
• Incentives for students who score more than 85 per cent in SSLC/II PUC exams
• Heritage Cell to propagate city’s cultural heritage
• ‘Mayor Cup’ for sports competitions
• Rs 2.5 cr for sports equipments to select organizations
• Upgrading Basavanagudi swimming pool at Rs 3 cr and building five new swimming pools at Rs 8.5 cr
• Rs 26 cr for construction of Indoor stadia, auditoria and playground
• Rs 25 lakh for statue of Dr Rajkumar at Dr Ambedkar Stadium
• Rs 3.5 cr for upgrading Kittur Rani Chennamma Stadium in Jayanagar
• Rs 1 cr for Palike Bhavana

Welfare: Rs 604 cr (7 per cent), a huge rise from last year’s Rs 162 cr

• Dr BR Ambedkar Housing Project
• Sale deeds for slum residents
• Rs 20.88 cr for Pandit Deen Dayal Suvarna Arogya Suraksha Health Insurance Scheme
• Rs 10 cr for physically challenged
• Rs 20 cr for women’s welfare
• Rs 20 cr for Kanakasiri programme which includes provision of bicycles, training in job oriented courses for backward groups

Maintenance Works: Rs 526 cr (6 per cent)

• Rs 1 cr for fire hazard – response and mitigation plan
• Rs 10 cr for fencing BBMP property
• Rs 49 cr for establishing tree parks
• Rs 97.97 cr for developing lakes
• Rs 159 cr for maintaining parks

These apart, for Rs.337 cr are allocated for Capital Works under the central government’s Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).

Debt Servicing is Rs 592 cr, 7 per cent of the expenditure.

WHERE THE MONEY COMES FROM – PLANNED RECEIPTS for 2010-11

BBMP estimates its total receipts during 2010-11 to be Rs 8073.25 cr. Revenues account for 41 per cent of these receipts. The palike’s total receipts for 2009-10 was Rs 3875.67 cr.

Data: BBMP Budget 2010.

Most of the projections by the BBMP represent gigantic leaps in tax collection performance with respect to the last year. Property tax collection nearly doubles. Advertisement tax collection goes up by 488.2%. Trade license fees go up by 1088%! 

It is not clear how the council and the administration plan to accomplish this. In addition there is a Akrama/Sakrama bonanza projection of Rs.750 cr.

Tax Revenues: Rs 1601 cr (20 per cent of the receipts)

• Property Tax: In 2009-10, the total property tax collection was Rs 795 cr. From here, BBMP plans to raise the collection to Rs 1501 cr. The Corporation hopes to achieve this by taxing 4.59 lakh properties that have been left out of the tax net until now. Currently 10.41 of the total 15 lakh properties are being taxed.
• Advertisement Tax: From 17 cr last year, BBMP plans to collect Rs 100 cr. It plans to auction advertisement rights from this year.

Non-Tax Revenues: Rs 1678 cr (21 per cent of the receipts)

• Akrama Sakrama: BBMP expects to collect Rs 750 cr once the scheme is operational.
• Trade License Fees: From 9 cr last year, BBMP plans to collect Rs 107 cr this year by "introducing an online renewal system and through a special drive for issue of trade license."
• Improvement Charges: Rs 120 cr will be collected from new private layouts in this regard.
• Miscellaneous Receipts: Rs 701 cr through rent on leased property, fees and fines for building licenses, road cutting charges on laying utilities etc.

Grants: (26 per cent of receipts)

• State Government: Special Grant of Rs 1300 cr this year, compared to Rs 500 cr last year
• State Finance Commission (SFC): Rs 403.69 cr (same as last year)
• JNNURM: Grants of Rs 195 cr this year (2 per cent), compared to Rs 97.41 cr last year
• Central Government funding through 13^th Finance Commission: Rs 122 cr

Following the presentation, the council session ended. Mayor S K Nataraj scheduled the discussion on the budget to September 2nd.  ⊕