THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thiruvananthapuram corporation on Wednesday passed a Rs 1,702 crore budget for the financial year 2024-25, with a projected surplus of Rs 150.19 crore. The budget has given major thrust to infrastructure development, elderly welfare, women empowerment, waste management, and more.
Deputy mayor P K Raju presented the budget with a plan outlay that was nearly Rs 200 crore more than last year’s budget.
The budget has proposed the drawing up of an elderly policy and has earmarked Rs 12.15 crore for various projects aiming to make the capital an elder-friendly city in the next five years.
The budget has announced Rs 2 lakh financial assistance for the elderly for setting up elderly-friendly rooms at homes. The budget earmarks Rs 50.85 crore for various waste management initiatives and Rs 62.27 crore for the education sector.
The budget also emphasises the ‘Low Carbon Ananthapuri’ initiative launched last year aiming at making the city carbon neutral. The deputy mayor said that Thiruvananthapuram will be transformed into a green city by scaling up electricity from green energy sources.
Solar City is one of the other initiatives that has been given major emphasis. Raju said that solar panels have been installed at 260 of the 660 public buildings in the capital and this year, the civic body will make efforts to introduce solar roofings in private buildings with financial aid from the state government.
He said that 20% of the buildings in the capital already have solar panels fitted atop them and a survey will be launched jointly with ANERT to identify more buildings for setting up the panels. The budget has set aside Rs 42.50 crore in the energy sector.
Besides this, the budget has allocated Rs 30 crore for poverty alleviation. The budget has also announced more nightlife spots in the city. It has also promised to take steps to make the capital a heritage city by protecting heritage structures and buildings.
To promote sports, the corporation has decided to constitute a corporation-level sports council and provide training for students. The budget has set aside Rs 38 crore for sports, youth welfare, tourism, art and culture.
MAJOR PROPOSALS
Rs 12.5 crore for elderly welfare
Elderly policy to be drawn up
Yoga training for the elderly
Hospitals, and parks to be made elder-friendly
Elder-clubs
Rs 50.85 crore for waste management
10% tax exemption for households with source-level waste management
Compressed biogas plant, a centralised plant for waste management
90% discount for 500 domestic biogas plant
Rendering plant near airport
100% sewerage coverage by 2030
100% water supply coverage by 2027
Rs 51 crore for welfare of women, children and the disabled
Financial assistance for house construction for 2,000 families headed by women
She lodges at three locations
Resting rooms and breastfeeding centres for women at 5 locations
Women-friendly bus stops at 40 locations
Workspaces for women at 50 locations
Rs 62.27 crore for education sector
275 smart classrooms
Renovation of school toilets
Playground renovation at schools
Distribution of sports kits for students
Breakfast for students studying at government schools
Open air auditoriums and libraries at schools
Rs 61.66 crore for health sector
Medicines for all primary health centres
Mobile palliative care units
Financial aid for cancer patients
Fertility clinic at Fort taluk hospital
Panchakarma treatment at Ayurveda hospitals at Nemom and Vattiyoorkavu
Free medicines distribution for cancer, kidney, and hemophilia patients
Free yoga training via homeopathy and ayurveda hospitals
Rs 9 crore for disaster management
Flood mitigation plan for the capital
Fire auditing at all highrise buildings
Rs 30 crore for fisheries sector
Insulated ice box for safe storage of fish
Subsidy for buying boats
Financial assistance for autorickshaw with attached ice box
Laptop for children from fisherman families
Free water connection for 90 percent of households in coastal areas
Panchakarma therapy unit for fisherman
Rs 31 crore for agriculture
To cultivate 35 widely used vegetables
Warehouse at Chalai to store vegetables cultivated by local farmers
Measures to attract more youngsters to farming
Rs 327 crore for basic infra development
Rs 37 crore for slum development
Rs 218 crore for housing for the deserving beneficiaries