Nagpur: The year 2019-20 would also be full of financial difficulties for the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) as the NMC administration failed to bring its coffers to a respectable position. Hence this year too, the civic body will have to be dependent on financial aid. On the other hand, the budget is being prepared eyeing Assembly polls where ruling party will make every effort to derive maximum benefit.
New Chairman; NMC Standing Committee; Pradip Pohane these days is busy preparing the budget for the financial year 2019-20 and according to him he may present the budget around May 15. It is said that Pohane is not in a mindset of introducing new taxes instead he is talking of preparing a budget as per the NMC’s earnings.
After it is presented in the House, the budget will be implemented following objections and suggestions by all the zones. Immediately after this, the work of funds distribution would begin – possibly the funds would be distributed within two months.
With the Assembly elections slated around Diwali, the model code of conduct will come into force around one-and-half month before it. In the backdrop, the corporator who succeeds in getting his projects approved completing all the formalities would be in a driver’s seat to run developmental works in his area.
There are few challenges for the new Standing Committee Chairman of making budgetary provisions for the approved works which have not yet begun or which are halfway and a bigger task of clearing the pending bills.
On the other hand, NMC contractors are showing preference to work under the funds from DPDC than to NMC. As a result, last year hundreds of tenders last year were floated again and again. Some of the contractors won on the bids only on submitting quotations but have not begun the work till date showing funds problem. This year too, the contractors will eye for DPDC works.
It may be mentioned that recently Municipal Commissioner Abhijit Bangar presented the budget for the financial year 2019-20, which hoped to get income of Rs 1,033.92 crore through GST. On the basis of monthly aid to the tune of Rs 86.16 crore, Bangar had projected the estimated revenue for the entire year. However, in the first month of the new financial year the monthly aid of Rs 7 crore was increased which would now yield the NMC an aid of Rs 1,116.60 from GST. Figures show that NMC would get benefit of Rs 82.68 crore. Though the NMC has been facing financial crisis, the aid would certainly provide a respite to it.
