Modernisation to take off soon

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The Kochi corporation on Friday passed its annual budget for 2012-2013, raising the division fund for councillors by Rs 10 lakh to Rs 40 lakh. The budget envisages an income of Rs 757.74 crore and expenditure Rs 731.93 crore.

When the council met for the budget discussion on the second day, the opposition councillors sought an explanation from the deputy mayor, B Bhadra, regarding the project grant of Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission and Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Project and its splitup for various heads. The deputy mayor stated that there was a correction in the figures specified under project grant.

In reply to the opposition leader, K.J. Jacob's allegation that the revenue income was not based on actual figures, the mayor said that the estimated revenue income was based on expected additional income from professional tax, property tax and advertisement revenue.

The council has entrusted the town planning standing committee to study the feasibility of reducing the width of proposed Pachalam RoB from 22 metre to 12 which was opposed by the opposition.

"The local body will speed up the land acquisition for the Thammanam-Pullepady road development once it gets `25 crore offered by the state government. The one-km stretch from MG Road to KK Road will be developed in the first phase," informed the mayor.

Rebutting the allegation of the opposition councillors that the budget neglected West Kochi, the mayor said that development of West Kochi was a major focus and corporate social responsibility funds would be used for this. Tender process will be initiated soon for modernisation of street lights, he added.