THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram corporation budget for 2024-25, set to be presented on Wednesday, is expected to give thrust to the welfare of the elderly. According to sources, elderly welfare and solar city will be the major highlights of this year’s budget.
That apart, waste management, water supply, and improving sewerage connectivity will be the other areas given priority. The elderly-friendly budget is set to propose various welfare projects including psychosocial support, medical care, and designated spaces for the elderly in public places.
“We are planning to organise an art and sports festival for the elderly -- Vayojanotsavam -- this year. Many projects have been proposed in the budget. A majority of the elderly population are leading isolated lives and we want to offer them more support,” a corporation official told TNIE.
It is learnt that, this year, the civic body has raised the plan outlay of the budget.
“Last year, the total outlay was around Rs 1,643 crore. This time, it will be more than Rs 1,800 crore,” said the source.
The official said the corporation aims to achieve 100% water supply and sewerage connections within three to six years.
The civic body has been a failure in utilising plan fund, with only 42% of it spent, it is learnt.
“Despite treasury restrictions, we were able to perform better compared to other local bodies in the state,” the official pointed out.
The opposition parties are unhappy with the performance of the council.
“They allotted Rs 80 lakh to each ward for road development, which was one of the major development projects announced in last year’s budget. But nothing has happened on the ground and more than 40 of the 100 wards are still waiting for road work to begin. When we check with the authorities, they say they have awarded the work but the contractors are not doing the work. Every road in my ward is in a dilapidated state,” said senior councillor P Ashok Kumar.
According to the civic authorities, work remains stalled because the bills are not getting cleared at the treasury.
“The contractors will not take up new work until they get the bill of the pending work cleared,” the official added.