An eventful year for GVMC

Visakhapatnam: The year 2022 turned out to be eventful for the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) as it achieved progress in various quarters.In addition to rolling out various city-friendly initiatives, the corporation stood out in bagging the awards.From June 5, the corporation imposed a ban on single use plastic. As a part of it, the corporation did intensive campaign to encourage communities and professionals from various backgrounds to extend their support in making the city plastic-free.

This has also drawn the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who appreciated the GVMC for its extensive no-plastic drives.Providing an alternative, the corporation also initiated an eco-friendly mela to encourage people to shun plastic supplies for good and switch to environment-friendly materials.Based on the state government's directions, the GVMC signed a memorandum of understanding with the Parley for the Oceans, a New York-based NGO. By tying up with the NGO, the corporation took up a cleanliness drive along 28-km coast. The exercise involved 22,000 people who collected 74 tonnes of garbage.

The corporation found a place in the World Record for creating awareness on prevention of single use plastic and Wonder Book of Records for taking a pledge involving 2 lakh students. In Swachh Survekshan 2022, the GVMC bagged the fourth place in the cleanest citycategory. "It is the most prestigious recognition. Next year, we want to bring it to even better position," said Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari.As a part of the first phase of Nadu Nedu, GVMC developed 59 schools by investing Rs29.77 crore. With Rs32.97 crore, the corporation constructed 42 YSR Urban Primary Health Centres.

In connection with development works, the corporation undertook 428 works to the tune of Rs59.5 crore. "Of them, 235 were completed. The rest of the works too will be accelerated and completed in a time-bound manner," asserted P Raja Babu, Municipal Commissioner.As a part of the greenery development, the corporation planted 1.02 lakh saplings.Currently, the GVMC is developing 61 smart city projects at an estimated cost of Rs1,000 crore. Of them, 50 neared completion.Through its Town Planning wing, the corporation netted revenue of Rs208.74 crore. Also, Rs264.26 crore was collected through property tax.