Budget with surplus of ` 47.38 cr gets VMC approval

Vijayawada: The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation passed the 2017-18 budget in a special meeting here on Saturday without presence of any Opposition party with a surplus of Rs 47.38 crore. There were no meaningful discussions on budget due to the forcible expulsion of Opposition corporators from the council.

In his speech, Telugu Desam Party corporator Jasti Sambasiva Rao said the council was unanimously acknowledged the budget proposals and said the mistakes in the proposals would be corrected soon.

He also urged the Mayor to direct the officials to ensure distribution of revised copies to all corporators after correction of mistakes.

Mayor Koneru Sreedhar said the council has unanimously passed the 2017-18 budget.

As per budget proposals, the income stood at Rs 13,27,64,93,163 (opening balance Rs 44,41,34,158, revenue Rs 562,21,06,500, capital income Rs 633,38,34,505, deposits and advances Rs 87,64,18,000).

The total expenditure was pegged at Rs 12,80,26,20,259 (revenue expenses Rs 429,40,35,259, capital expenses Rs 716, 44, 79,300, loan repayments Rs 46,76,88,000 and deposits and advances Rs 87,64,18,000). The closing balance remained as Rs 47,38,72,904.

As there were mistakes in the budget proposals, Mayor Sreedhar deputed private auditors to correct the mistakes, but the ruling party failed in introducing mistake-free budget in the council even after the proposals got approval of standing committee a couple of times.

YSR Congress floor leader Bandi Punya Sheela said “They (TDP) suspended us from council as we are trying to expose their mistakes and irregularities” she said.

She also said “The entire process of introducing Budget was a gimmick and they are projecting magic of figures in the proposals”.

CPM corporator Adilakshmi said the burden of taxes of Rs 84 crore has been imposed on citizens and there were no sufficient allocations for welfare and development activities.

Mayor Koneru Sreedhar defended that the mistakes in the Budget proposals were minor and no need to take into consideration. He also alleged that during the period of 2000-01, when the communists were leading the VMC, people had suffered the burden of taxes Rs 73 crore.

After 16 years, the same party (CPM) was accusing us of imposing of Rs 84 crore burden on people.

Mayor said tax rates remained same but the income under the head of accounts appeared to have gone up due to increasing real estate sector and new constructions in the city. Increasing income of shops goodwill, new underground drainage connections and some other were the reason for increase of revenue, he said.