Civic body budget set to be populist

With the civic polls exactly a year away, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) budget for the year 2016-17 is likely to be full of populist measures. While completion of current infrastructure development projects will be the priority, it is also expected to have significant provisions for the Centre’s two major projects — Swachh Bharat Abhiyan and smart cities.

As the Shiv Sena and the BJP, two ruling alliance partners in the civic body, are likely to fight polls separately next year, the prominence given to the Centre’s projects will further offer boost to the BJP, which is eyeing its chances to win the BMC on its own.

According to the civic officials, cleanliness and water supply projects will be on the priority list of Ajoy Mehta as he prepares to present his first budget as the BMC chief. The budget will have major provisions for projects like Gargai-Pinjal dams, roads and waste management.

The annual budget for 2016-17 will be announced on February 3. It is expected to be in the excess of Rs 35,000 crore as against the outlay of Rs 33,514 crore last year, said civic sources.

“As the civic body is facing acute water shortage this year, the BMC will concentrate more on expediting proposed water supply projects like Gargai-Pinjal project. City’s garbage problem is also acquiring serious proportions and there will be an emphasis on solid waste management projects too,” said a senior civic official.

Mumbai receives 3,750 million litres (ml) of water daily. However, 700-800 mld water is wasted due to leakage and pilferage.

Though there has been rise in water supply after completing the Middle Vaitarana dam, which supplies 455 ml water, the gap between the demand and supply is steadily increasing.

The BMC is likely to make a provision of more than Rs 2,500 crore for water supply projects like replacing old pipelines with main one and laying tunnels.

In the budget for 2015-16 budget, the BMC had made a provision of Rs 9,283 crore for providing basic amenities. Of them, Rs 990 crore was provided for water supply projects. It will possibly be increased by another '400 crore with a major share going to Gargai-Pinjal project. The project is expected to supply 1,300 mld water to the city.

In addition to this, Rs 4,000 crore will be allotted for the construction of roads and new flyovers. The coastal road project will figure prominently among the road projects. The 35.6-km long coastal road connecting Nariman Point in south Mumbai and Kandivali in north Mumbai will be built at the cost of Rs 8,500 crore.

The threat of adverse effects of Goods and Sales Tax (GST) also looms over the BMC as the proposed tax system is expected to make a big dent in the municipal revenues.

However, no new taxes would be introduced as it will be an election year, said civic officials.