NDMC budget for 2016-17 'repackages' old projects

Development projects envisioned last year cornered a major share of the allocations made in the NDMC budget for 2016-17, which was presented before the Council by chairman Naresh Kumar here today, signifying a huge backlog of projects that are yet to take off. Total receipts of Rs 3,458.33 crore have been projected against a total estimated expenditure of Rs 3,450.81 crore during the period in the budget. Kumar, who presented his maiden budget, said the allocation for capital expenditure has been increased by 115 per cent from Rs 191.93 crore in revised estimates of 2015-16 to Rs 412.47 in budget estimates for 2016-17.

Installation of LED streetlights, automated parking facility, construction of disabled friendly public toilet units, transformation of sub-ways into vibrant spaces with ATMs, cloud-based Hospital Management Information System (HIMS) for the civic body's health care units, health camps for employees and skill training centre are among the projects that were announced in previous budget and have been "repackaged" for this edition. Other old projects which have found mention in the current budget include installation of outdoor gym equipment, rooftop solar panels on NDMC buildings, projects for increasing green cover, stainless steel bins in all major markets and roads, and setting up of air quality monitoring system to share real time information on air quality through LED screens. Describing NDMC's vision to be a "global benchmark for a capital city", the civic body chairman enlisted the allocations of the budget with a considerable share to the "smart city" projects.

"After selection in Stage-1 of the Smart City Mission, we have submitted the proposal to the Urban Development Ministry. If we get selected, NDMC is expected to receive an amount of Rs 194 crore from the government in form of tied grants as first installment, which will be matched by an equal contribution from NDMC," Kumar said.