PCMC citizens spared tax hike

PUNE: The residents of Pimpri-Chinchwad have been spared of a tax hike in the current fiscal. Municipal commissioner Anil Diggikar on Tuesday presented a Rs 285.16-crore draft civic budget for the year 2002-2003 to the civic standing committee.
Though the budget focuses on completion of on-going capital intensive projects, Diggikar has given thrust on exploring new ways of revenue generation.The civic chief has also announced several austerity measures to pull back the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) from a financial crisis.
The common man has been spared from direct taxation. However, it should be noted that the PCMC had hiked its octroi charges with effect from May 8. Hence, the income from octroi has been pegged at Rs 195 crore, as against Rs 153 crore last year.
The other sources of revenue include: property tax (Rs 29.89 crore), water tax (Rs 10.40 crore) and gunthewari regularisation fees (Rs 6.79 crore), interest on investments (Rs 15.42 crore), government grants (Rs 6.03 crore), capital income (Rs 6.91 crore) and other miscellaneous sources (Rs 14.60 crore).
Diggikar has not proposed any new schemes in the budget asserting that the available funds are required for completion of ongoing projects. Around Rs 102 crore will be spent on administrative expenses.
Expenses on capital works are around Rs 106.15 crore. Diggikar has allocated Rs 30.15 crore for water supply projects, which include the third phase of 100 million litre per day (MLD) water scheme and installation of water-meters. Another Rs 9 crore have been allocated for an underground drainage system.
Around Rs 62.30 crore have been allocated for various projects of road and bridge widening, construction of fly-overs and improvement of slums etc.
These include, Rs 1.40 crore for widening of the railway overbridge at Chinchwad, construction of a new bridge near J.J. Glass company and a new railway subway at Dapodi.
Around Rs 1 crore have been set aside for widening of various bridges on the Pavna river, construction of a bridge between Pimpri-Waghire and Rahatni, and approach road to Aundh bridge, Rs 2.70 crore have been reserved for widening of the Pune-Mumbai road and Rs 3.55 crore for a fly-over at Tilak chowk in Nigdi.
Speaking to reporters, Diggikar said, “This year my thrust is on finding new ways of generating revenue and cutting expenditure.�
He pointed out that the PCMC has undertaken several initiatives in this direction, including energy-audit, water-audit and survey of properties. The PCMC is planning to impose a tax on sign boards of shops and other commercial establishments, he said.
The commissioner said the PCMC will seek support of private parties to install ‘energy savers’ on street-lamps, a move which is expected to save electricity bills to the tune of Rs 3 crore. These savings will be shared in a 60: 40 ratio. Diggikar pointed out that the installation of water-meters will help in two ways as it will encourage citizens to use water judiciously and increase the PCMC revenue by Rs 5 crore.