GVMC targets 275 cr prof tax in 2019

• Collects Rs 199 crore till date under professional tax and it will reach around Rs 240 crore by March fiscal year ending
• Plans to provide better infra structure facilities to the citizens in the city

Visakhapatnam: Greater Visakha Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Commissioner M Hari Narayanan said that the GVMC has set a target to collect Rs 275 crore professional tax by the financial year 2019. 

He said the GVMC collected Rs 199 crore till date under professional tax and it will reach around Rs 240 crore by the month of March fiscal year ending. 

Addressing media here on Saturday, Hari Narayanan said that with an objective to provide round-the-clock drinking water to all the denizens among 72 wards, an estimated Rs 85 crores was being spent in the city suburbs which were merged with the corporation.

He said GVMC also took up three major projects in which the three major non-functioned pump houses will be restored under Amrutha scheme with an expenditure of Rs 250 crore. In the last six months, the GVMC had gave 27,000 drinking water pipe connections in the city.

He said with the cooperative efforts from the ground level employees, they have already collected Rs 199 crore towards property tax against Rs 240 crore target for the fiscal year.

“Our prime concern for the upcoming year is to provide infra by developing various projects in the city. GVMC has been handling Rs 900 crores worth works under UGC department,’’ he added

As part of Smart City project, the GVMC had allocated Rs 450 crore for IT related works in which 90 per cent of works were completed and remaining works would be done by the end of January. 

GVMC had focused on all the 32 gram panchayath’s which were included recently under the GVMC jurisdiction. Some major projects like sports complex at MVP Colony and multi-level parking system at Jagadamba junction will meet the denizen needs. 

This year, especially for developing infra facilities, the GVMC had allocated Rs 200 crore and Rs 150 crore were allocated for carrying out the other civil works at various places in the city. 

Especially for developing the underground drainage system at Madhurwada, Gajuwaka and Pendurthy, the GVMC had sanctioned Rs 45 crore and the tenders would be called soon to complete these works on a war-footing, he added.

As the Vizag-Chennai Corridor would be crucial in the development of district, the underground works with an extent of 30 kms would be covered to facilitate drinking water and concentrated on underground water storage issues, he added. 

GVMC had established 2 mega watts solar plant system in their premises and also developed solar lighting system on the beach road, he stated.

Speaking about the waste segregation and waste management at Gajuwaka, he said I Town would be concentrated to avoid open dumping by completing the works of waste recycling plants in those areas. 

By the end of 2019, these recycling plants would be brought into usage which also helps the GVMC in securing best ranks during Swach Survekshan. 
Stating that the GVMC had already eradicated the usage of below 50 microns of plastic bags in the city, he said by creating awareness on the usage of plastic among the denizens, the city would be announced as plastic-free by 2019.