By Dipak Anand
New Delhi: NDMC continues with the trend of a surplus budget, with a net surplus of Rs 240.27 crore projected for FY 2024–26. The NDMC Budget for FY 2024–25 shows a total expenditure of Rs. 4,829.36 crore, which is higher than the revised estimated expenditure of Rs. 4,568.21 crore.
In our budget for 2024–25, total expenditure is higher than our RE figures for the current year, and receipts are higher than those of RE, leading us to a surplus, a trend maintained by NDMC for the last number of years, NDMC Chairman Amit Yadav said.
The New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has taken a step towards a developed India by 2047. On the completion of 100 years of independence, the New Delhi area will be completely rejuvenated. An initiative to achieve this goal has also been included in the budget for the financial year 2024–25.
All sewer lines in New Delhi will be replaced in the next five years. Students in classes 9 to 11 will be given tablets. At the same time, 24 hours of uninterrupted power and water supply will be ensured. Along with improving the roads, provision has also been made to spend on beautification and keeping the environment clean. The budget was approved at the NDMC meeting. The budget estimates an income of Rs 5069.63 crore and an expenditure of Rs 4829.36 crore, officials said. Most of the allocation is for improving the power system. It will cost around Rs 1,500 crore per year.
This will be followed by education and water. The NDMC will spend Rs 285 crore on education and Rs 256 crore on water. Students in classes 9 to 11 will also be given tablets. Earlier, this facility was available for students in classes 10 and 12. Also, sports facilities will be expanded in schools. At the same time, about Rs 556 crore will be received from the central government for sewerage replacement. NDMC chairman Amit Yadav said that pollution will be tackled by increasing greenery. The number of smog guns and mechanical road sweepers will increase. To increase the use of e-vehicles in a phased manner, other infrastructure facilities, including charging points, will be increased. E-scooters will be provided to the employees for commuting. One Day, One Road campaign will be run for roads. One road will be repaired in a day.
To enhance the beautification of the environment, three lakh tulip bulbs will be purchased, and a tulip festival will be held. A fund of Rs 10 crore has been set aside for RWAs and MTAs.
Geo-tagging of properties will be done by NDMC New Delhi. In the meeting held on Wednesday for the budget, the NDMC decided to do geo-tagging for all properties in the next financial year to increase the property tax. Geo-tagging will include uploading photographs of taxpayer properties through the mobile app or the NDMC website. Further, under the theme of Developed India @2047, all roads in the New Delhi area will be made world-class in three months. Other facilities, including modern kiosks, street furniture, parking facilities, and sitting plazas, will be developed near the roads.
NDMC will put all the concerned departments on the roads under the One Day, One Road initiative. The staff will carry out intensive daily cleaning and washing of trees, footpaths, and roads. Road safety devices will be installed to prevent accidents. The beautification work for Ranjit Singh Flyover was also targeted to be completed during the next year. For the convenience and safety of pedestrians, foot-over bridges will be constructed near gate number one of AIIMS and gate number five of the High Court.
The NDMC has decided to replace all sewer lines that were laid in the New Delhi area about 70 years ago. For this, the Delhi Development Authority has sought Rs 556 crore from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs under the Urban Development Fund (UDF). NDMC has also decided to provide 24×7 power and water supply to the residents of its area. The NDMC plans to construct a four-basement and 10-story office complex at Akbar Bhawan to meet the demand for revenue as well as additional office space. The municipality will give honors and a municipality citation to encourage the employees to increase the efficiency of their work.
