The Rs 9,498.90 crore BBMP budget presented on Thursday has some goodies in store for the residents of 110 semi-urban and rural areas under BBMP, including better water supply under the Sarvagrama Abhyudaya Programme. Otherwise, it is much as usual, without any focus or imagination, experts say. Some prime projects envisaged include construction and maintenance of abattoirs, a sports complex, swimming pools, sky walks, automated parking lots, and development of markets and solid waste management units in the outlying villages.

Speaking to reporters after the budget, Mayor D. Venkatesh Murthy said realising that the BBMP will plough in Rs 25 lakh per ward for water supply and Rs 25 lakh for providing street lights and other facilities. The blueprint for a drainage network that will cost Rs 3,500 crore has also been drawn up. Emphasis has been laid on welfare schemes like building houses for the urban poor, financial assistance to auto drivers to install electronic meters, and health schemes. The mayor said funds will not be a problem as the BBMP has proposed to raise Rs 1,000 crore through municipal bonds and hopes to raise substantial amount as optical fibre cable fee from telecom operators.

Though the civic body has given importance to the IT initiative for collection of property tax, receipts from property tax, advertisement tax and other tax avenues have been inflated. Also, the BBMP is largely dependent on government grants that are unlikely to reach the civic body. This results in infrastructure projects getting held up or spilling over into subsequent years. Asked whether the outlay would be utilised, Mr Murthy said that the state government will be urged to approve the budget soon and the projects will be implemented and will be time bound. Periodical meetings will be held to ascertain the progress of each project.

Emphasising the e-initiative, T&F chairman K. A. Muneendra Kumar said that a technical cell will be set up to bring all kinds of properties under the tax net. To avoid misuse of the khata issuance, biometric-based khata service will be implemented, he added. In memory of astronaut Kalpana Chawla, a social and educational programme will be initiated represented by women corporators.

A total of Rs 3.5 crore has been earmarked for this with each ward getting Rs 5 lakh. A sum of Rs 426 crore has been allocated this year for a signal-free corridor on Dr Rajkumar Road, Outer Ring Road, Hosur Road, Old Airport Road and Mekhri Circle to Hope Farm junction. Solid waste management will get Rs 320 crore. A 10- tonne capacity unit to generate crude oil from plastic waste will be set up at Mandur. A mechanised plant for segregation of waste with a capacity of 750 tonnes has been proposed at Subbarayanapalya.

BUDGET AT A GLANCE
Reforms in general administration:
* Compulsory biometric attendance in all eight zones to bring discipline among employees.
* Housing development monitoring cell will be set up to ensure speedy completion of houses for poor.

Welfare:
* Rs 738 crore for various welfare programmes
* Rs 5 crore earmarked under Mahatma Gandhi Swavalambana Programme. 500 weavers will be benefited this year.
* Rs 5 crore under Badavara Dhwani for financial support for hawkers and vendors to buy push carts.
* Housing schemes like B.R. Ambedkar housing to build 14,750 houses. Of which, 5,702 are ready and remaining 3,880 will be completed this year.
* Provide electronic digital meters for poor auto drivers under the Sarathi scheme.
* Gas connections at a cost of Rs Rs 100 crore to 100 families in each ward.

Culture and sports :
* Rs 5 crore to build welcome arches in the eight directions of the city, to be known as Bangalore Kempgegowda Mahadwara, at Mysore Road, Kanakapura, Magadi, Tumkur, Bellary, Kolar, Hosur and Sarjapur.
* Artisans will be identified for sculpting Kempegowda statue and Kempegowda Gadi Gopura.
* 34-feet statue of Sri Vivekananda will be installed at Yediyur Lake to commemorate 150th birth anniversary.
* Rs 6 crore to upgrate Kittur Rani Chennamma playground and Rs 1 crore for setting up her bronze statue there.

Health:
* Rs 20 crore earmarked under Vajpayee Arogyashree medical scheme to benefit poor people.
* Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) will be developed to capture the information of hospitals and patients in a systematic database.
* Rs 20 crore for health scheme under the Sri Jagadeesh Chandra Bose Nitya Arogra Seve.

Animal Husbandry Department:
* Plan to perform animal birth control operations on 1 lakh stray dogs and to vaccinate 1.65 lakh strays.
* Three dog pounds and 23 animal birth control centres will be set up.

Education:
* Special classes will be conducted for SSLC students in BBMP-run schools. Evening snacks will be provided to students.
* All BBMP schools to get a face lift
* Sponsorship for CET training and KEA admission fee for 100 poor students
* Rs 50 lakh set aside for holding personality development classes and technical sessions.

Horticulture and Afforestation:
* To plant 3.75 lakh saplings at a cost of Rs 8 crore
* Rs 3.5 crore earmarked for setting up 100 tree parks and ponds.

Rain Water Harvesting:
* Flooding can be arrested by implementing RWH. Drains will be remodelled as RWH model drains.

Development of lakes:
* Rs 158 crore for development of lakes.
* 30 lakes will be taken up this year for rejuvenation
* Creating conducive environment to attract birds etc.

Conservation of BBMP assets:
* Rs 10 crore for fencing vacant lands and parks.

Markets:
* Bangalore palike bazaar proposed on the lines of palika bazaar in Delhi. It is proposed at Gandhinagar at a cost of Rs 5 crore.
* Hawker zones to be set up in all eight zones
* Development of markets on PPP module

Infrastructure:
* 13 roads to be widened at a cost of Rs 60 crore
* Improvement of roads in 86 locations at a cost of Rs 140 crore
* Grade separators at five junctions at a cost of Rs 195 crore at Maramma circle, Malleswaram, Magadi Road and Basaveshwara Road junction, Rajajinagar 10th cross West of Chord Road junction, Shivanagar 8th main and West of Chord Road junction and Shivananda circle.
* Multi level car parking at Rs 200 crore
* Improvement of 43 roads under the TenderSure at a cost of Rs 200 crore with funding of 50:50 between the state and the BBMP.

Waste Management:
* Rs 320 crore will be spent for SWM
* A 10 tonne capacity unit to generate crude oil from the plastic waste at Mandur.