On Wednesday, the Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) approved a budget entailing an expenditure of around Rs 1,500 crore in fiscal 2021-22, including Rs 780 crore on infrastructure development alone.

The budget was ratified in a special meeting of the PMC’s board comprising all 75 ward- councilors, including Mayor Sita Sahu and senior officials of the civic body, including municipal commissioner Himanshu Sharma. Pataliputra MP Ram Kripal Yadav was also present in the meeting.

While the total estimated expenditure in the ongoing fiscal has been pegged at Rs 1499.85 crore, the revenue of the civic body from different sources has been estimated at Rs1359.23 crore.

As per the budget document, the PMC has targeted to spend R s256.80 crore on solid waste management works, including garbage removal and drainage cleaning.

A salient feature of this year’s PMC budget is air pollution control expenses, under which the civic body has targeted to spend a whopping Rs204cr. Funds to the tune of Rs 102crs are targeted to be spent on composting and recycling plants, waste to energy, road pavement, footpath, green buffering and other expenses for reducing air pollution. Another Rs 14.4 crore will be spent on operations and maintenance of sweeping machines.

Under the infrastructure development works, Rs110crs are estimated to be spent on the construction of roads and drains in the state capital and Rs 215cr on water supply works. Also, Rs10crs have been specifically allocated for waterlogging prevention and mitigation works. The PMC has also allocated Rs 1.5cr for purchasing a boat, which will ply in river Ganga along with the city.

Incidentally, the PMC’s revenue through various sources has been showing a gradual rising trend over the last few years. From Rs286.3crs in fiscal 2019-20, PMC’s revenue receipt in fiscal 2020-21 surged to Rs 600.67 cr, which is further estimated to increase up to Rs 635.8 cr in fiscal 2021-22.

Out of the total estimated receipts of Rs1359.23crs for fiscal 2021-22, grants from central and state governments form the biggest chunk, amounting to Rs1127.45 cr. The tax revenue of the PMC is expected to be Rs 105.30cr.

Speaking on the occasion, Mayor Sita Sahu said the budget is dedicated to sanitation workers, who worked in a dedicated manner amid the Covid-19 pandemic in the year 2020. “The sanitation workers ensured that our city remained cleaned for a better fight against the pandemic,” she said.
She added that PMC has funds to the tune of Rs839.77crs as an opening balance to meet the difference between the estimated expenditure and revenue.

Deputy Mayor Meera Devi claimed that the Covid pandemic had an adverse impact on the resources of the civic body from the beginning of fiscal 2020-21.

“The PMC, however, continued to provide basic civic amenities including water supply and sanitation. From special cleanliness drive the pandemic to providing Ganga water during Chhath and timely drainage cleaning works, the PMC executed all works in a planned manner,” she said.

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