The Hindu : Improvement in BMP's revenue collection

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 18, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Karnataka-Bangalore

Improvement in BMP's revenue collection

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE MAY 17. The Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP) collected 68.32 per cent (Rs. 648.33 crore) of its budgeted revenue, capital and fiduciary receipts in its last quarter ending March 31, recording a 30.64 per cent increase over the last year's Q4 figures. The total expenditure for the last quarter this year stood at Rs. 656.17 crore, a 27.64 per cent increase over the previous year.

These figures were part of a comprehensive public debate on the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP)'s fourth quarter financial performance organised here today by the Public Record of Operations and Finance (PROOF), a group of four organisations -- Voices, Janaagraha, Public Affairs Committee, and the Centre for Budget and Policy Studies. Presenting the BMP's Q4 results, the Additional Commissioner (Finance), P.K. Srihari, said the capital deficit at the end of the fourth quarter was less compared to that of the third quarter.

He said if the additional stamp duty of the fourth quarter, adjustments under SFC against street light charges, and adjustments under property tax were to be taken, the receipts would go up to Rs. 670 crore, showing a marginal shortfall of Rs. 57 crore (8.5 per cent) compared to the revised estimates made while presenting the budget for 2003-04.

The expenditure on salary showed an increase of 0.78 per cent compared to last year. However, Mr. Srihari said, it was at 82.1 per cent of the budget estimates. The total expenditure on pension was limited to 84.56 per cent of the budget estimates.

He said there was a significant increase in the amount spent on maintenance of buildings, particularly during the last quarter due to the claims made during March 2003 on the maintenance work done throughout the year.

However, he said, "the maintenance expenditure on vehicles continues to be kept under control, signifying effectiveness of the administrative action taken to dismantle the Stores and Workshop Division."

He said over Rs. 91 crore of revenue receipts was added during the last quarter taking the revenue surplus from Rs. 81.25 crore to Rs. 123.87 crore. The revenue surplus for the financial year 2001-02 stood at Rs. 82.98 crore.

On major capital works, which were not part of the fourth quarter financials, Mr. Srihari referred to the asphalting of roads under HUDCO scheme at a cost of Rs. 20 crore, which had been completed in most parts of the City. Payments against this head of account by March-end stood at Rs. 5 crore.

The water supply and underground drainage works in new wards and elsewhere were in progress.

"Missing bits in old areas have been tendered. An advance of Rs. 22 crore has been paid to BWSSB. The total outlay is Rs. 150 crore.

The BMP is preparing to draw Rs. 53 crore under the Rajdhani Fund for this project," he said.

Works, including concreting of Kalasipalyam roads and Sujatha subway would be taken up shortly at a cost of Rs. 33 crore, he said.

The slum development works on a pilot basis at a cost of Rs. 70 lakh in V.V. Giri slum was in progress. A payment of Rs. 17.97 lakh had been made on account of various development works. Besides, improvement in traffic facilitation by remodelling the traffic junctions was in progress at a cost of Rs. 12 crore, he said.

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