White-topping of roads, rejuvenation of lakes and drinking water units in almost 200 wards across the city are some of the major allocations in the annual budget of the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, led by the Congress-JD(S) coalition. With an outlay of Rs 10,688 crore for the financial year 2019-20, the budget announced on Monday is the last opportunity of the ruling combine to lure city voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, primarily focussing on infrastructural development works.
A total of 46.29% of the budget is focussed on infrastructural development, including grants for hospitals and road works, to the tune of Rs 4945.91 crore. Welfare programmes have been allocated Rs 1071.43 crore (10.02%), which includes Rs 1 crore for homeless shelters, drinking water units in 198 wards and mobile canteens selling subsidised food for the urban poor. An additional Rs 851 crore (7.96%) has been kept aside for maintenance works.
A little over 11% of the funds, amounting to Rs 1186.8 crore, has been set aside for garbage disposal and solid waste management, while Rs 796.85 crore (7.46%) of the budget is earmarked to pay salary and pension benefits.
A minor 2.17% of the budget has been allotted for health and education.
In one of the major announcements-- localities with high SC /ST population and slums of all 198 wards will get RO plants at the cost of Rs. 15 lakh per unit to provide clean and safe drinking water. Another Rs. 12 crores is earmarked as matching grant to Slum Board for SC/ST beneficiaries to build own houses.
While the BBMP in February 2018 had presented a budget with an outlay of Rs 9,322 crore, major schemes in the budget like rainwater harvesting programmes for buildings and in the city’s park have not been taken up. The free WiFi facility promised in over 400 locations in the city has also remained unfulfilled.
SP Hemlatha, JD(S) corporator from Vrisahbhavathi Nagar and the chairperson of the Standing Committee on Taxation and Finance of the BBMP presented the budget as per convention.
The BJP, which has been in the Opposition since 2015 despite having a 100 councillors in the 198-ward city council, chanted slogans and created a ruckus while Hemalatha went ahead with her speech.
Here are the major allocations: