Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) yesterday announced its budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2009-2010 increasing allocation for traffic infrastructure development and maintenance by 32.04 percent over that of FY 2008-09.
DCC Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka placed a Tk 1411.58 crore budget at Mohanagar Natya Mancha.
It has reduced allocation for special cleaning drive by 11.36 percent, which may affect the city’s cleaning activities.
Addressing the ceremony, Khoka announced that DCC would construct a graveyard on 100 acres of land under a Tk 254 crore project adjacent to flood protection embankment in the city although the mayor has failed to keep his earlier pledge to construct four graveyards.
It has allocated Tk 225 crore for road and traffic infrastructure maintenance and development, which was Tk 170 crore in the FY 2008-09. Of which, Tk 150 crore has been kept for road, footpath and surface drains.
Among the development expenditure, DCC has increased allocation to Tk 15 crore from its earlier Tk 5 crore to construct footbridges and underpasses while allocated Tk 1 crore each for median and electricity on the roads.
It has allocated Tk 16 crore to curb mosquito menace, which is Tk 1 crore higher than that of the last FY.
Tk 3 crore has been allocated to modernising and maintenance of different rides of Shahid Zia Shishu Park while Tk 6 crore for development of other parks in the city, which was Tk 7.50 crore in the last FY.
Tk 2 crore has been kept for car parking which was Tk 15 crore in the FY 2008-09.
Among other development expenditures, Tk 20 crore has been allocated for construction and development of community centres while Tk 1 crore for slaughterhouses, Tk 4 crore for equipment of food testing laboratory at DCC and Tk 2.50 crore for public toilets and dustbins.
Mayor Khoka in his speech said DCC has not imposed any new holding tax rather it decided to increase revenue collection.
The budget has a revenue earnings target of Tk 603.80 crore, which was Tk 527.51 crore in the FY 2008-09 of which Tk 470.90 crore has been achieved.
DCC will have to depend more on funds from government and donor agencies for the development work in the new FY.
It has a target to receive Tk 540.78 crore from government grant, foreign finance and private sector investment which is Tk 297.88 crore higher than the last FY’s, said the mayor.
Tk 100 crore will come from the government block allocation, Tk 100 crore from special allocation while Tk 7 crore from other sources.
Holding tax is the single largest source of revenue collection by DCC. It has a target of earning Tk 280 crore from holding tax this FY while it had realised Tk 230 crore against its target of Tk 255 crore in the FY 2008-09.
Khoka urged the government to bring DCC under the secretariat of prime minister to speed up its activities.
He also requested the government to bring WASA under DCC and ensure its representation during taking new plan by Rajuk for constructing road, drains, sewerage lines and graveyards.
Underscored the need for saving rivers around the city, the mayor demanded to form a river authority for saving them from land grabbers and keeping their normal navigability unhindered.
About the new infrastructures, he said an initiative has been taken to implement Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover project, which was cancelled during the tenure of immediate past caretaker government.
He also requested the government to introduce more than one post of deputy mayor and increase the number of wards to 150 from 90.
Categories: Bangla, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Economy, Bangladesh News, Daily Bangladesh News, Economy, News
