HYDERABAD: The new GHMC mayor, Mohammad Majid Hussain wants to make Greater Hyderabad one the best cities to live in by providing required civic infrastructure and expressed hope that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation will be a slum-free zone in the next few years.
Speaking to Express, the 31-year old enthusiastic mayor assured that development of civic infrastructure in the core as well as the other areas (extended area that covers 12 municipalities) will be their top priority.
“We will seek to give justice to all 150 divisions in order to ensure that no area lags behind in terms of civic amenities,’’ he added. He further recollected that it was in 1986 when MIM leader Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi gave the slogan “Shaher Hamara, Mayor Hamara” and had its mayors during 1986-1991.
“It is almost after 21 years that the MIM has got an opportunity again to have its mayor in the GHMC and I’m happy to be elected for the post,” he said.
Old city consists of eight assembly constituencies and covers a population of 23 lakhs. MIM will implement the Old City package of Rs 2,025 crore.
“In this endeavour, we will seek suggestions from all political parties represented in GHMC to achieve our goal of making Greater Hyderabad a truly global city in terms of civic infrastructure and standards of living, while preserving the rich cultural and historic heritage of Hyderabad,’’ he explained, adding, “We have several plans on the anvil to ensure that all the basic civic amenities are provided to every section of citizens without adding to the tax burden from the GHMC on them. However, no effort will be spared to ensure that GHMC realises every rupee of tax that it should legitimately get from the citizens fort the service they use.’’
GHMC and adjoining areas forming part of HMDA contribute almost Rs 70,000 crore annually to the revenues of the Central and State Governments by way of taxes. The State gets Rs 35,000 crore annually by way of VAT, Motor Vehicle Tax, State Excise, Stamps and Registration, Profession al Tax, Entertainment Tax and other taxes and duties from GHMC and adjoining areas.
“We will plead both the governments to ensure greater share for the GHMC from their revenues and grants to be utilised for implementing developmental works,’’ mayor said.
The corporation will seek greater share from the state government, particularly in MV Tax, VAT, profession altax, Entertainment tax, also seek higher quantum of central assistance under JNNURM Rajiv Awas Yojana and other Central schemes.
He said that there of 1,472 notified slums in the GHMC limits, housing schemes for the poor would be taken up in 290 slum under the Rajiv Awas Yojna in the first phase. GHMC has already short-listed 70 slums where housing would be taken up and another 153 slums would be provided with civic infrastructure facilities at an estimated outlay of Rs 550 crore.
“If additional share in tax revenues is not given to GHMC immediately, it will face financial crisis and will be difficult to take up major civic infrastructure projects’’ Hussain said.
MIM will ask the state government to immediately appoint the State Finance Commission.
Mohd Majid Hussain: A banker-turned-politician
Born on April 9, 1980, Majid Hussain did his schooling from St Theresa High School and joined Sultan-Ul-Uloom Junior College and later, pursued his graduation in Computers from Anwar-ul-Uloom College. He had a brief stint of four-and-a-half years with the HSBC Bank and specialised in migration process in the banking sector. However, his desire to work towards the welfare of people attracted him towards politics and he began his public life with the AIMIM.
Recognising his efforts, the party gave him a ticket for the Ahmednagar division in the GHMC elections held in 2009 and he came up with flying colours by winning the seat with good mandate. Majid's wife is a graduate in Computers and they have one daughter.