HYDERABAD: Newly-elected GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain presented his first and the GHMC’s sixth budget here on Thursday, which focused on all-round development. A total outlay of `3600- crore, including revenue expenditure of Rs 1317 crore, and capital expenditure of Rs 2283 crore was proposed.
The GHMC Development programme, planned to be undertaken with a Rs 600- crore loan from financial institutions and the Slum Free Hyderabad project, which will be managed under the Rajiv Awas Yojana (RAY) programme over a period of five years on a budget of Rs 11282 crore, found special mention in his speech.
The Old City Development Package , Charmina r Pedestrianisation and Musi Revitalisation project were proposed to be continued as spill-over works, while all corporators were informed that they would be provided `one crore worth development works.
But what got the opposition worked up was the promise of property tax collections to the tune of `720 crore. Led by Singireddy Srinivas Reddy, the TDP made the mayor uneasy by questioning as to how the collections would actually take place. “These are all magical figures. It would be better to announce practical figures, rather than repeat the promises year after year,” Reddy said, clearly bringing into account the number of un-assessed properties existing in Hyderabad. The Congress councillors on their part, continued with words of self praise instead of providing concrete answers to the same, and finally, it was left to MT Krishna Babu, Commissioner, GHMC to reply in his concluding speech that all un-assessed properties would be brought into account by April-May, which would help add `200 crore to the GHMC coffers to help reach the intended target.
And while the TDP was talking tough, Amjadullah Khan, councillor representing the MBT, walked up to the Mayor’s table, and insisted that he be permitted to speak. He persisted after the tea break too but was asked to leave. He squatted on the floor in the verandah outside and protested against the treatment meted out to him.
And as the men slugged it out openly, women councillors read out their points without resorting to any sort of heated debates. All through the session both the Congress councillors, as well as the Mayor seemed to be in a hurry to wrap up the proceedings than encourage a healthy debate on the budget.