Bitten by the budget bug

It seems the cost-cutting bug has bitten the Municipal Corporation of Delhi too. In its 2009–2010 budget, the civic agency has proposed a 45 per cent cut on its office expenses and 12 per cent cut on telephone bills, reports HT Correspondent.

It seems the cost-cutting bug has bitten the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) too. In its 2009–2010 budget, the civic agency has proposed a 45 per cent cut on its office expenses and 12 per cent cut on telephone bills.

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Not only this, to cut down on the cost of desilting drains, MCD staff themselves would carry out the work. This would help save Rs. 20 crore every year.

Development of infrastructure ahead of the Commonwealth Games is the priority asignment in the Rs. 6,115 crore budget presented by MCD Commissioner K.S. Mehra on Friday.

The proposed budget expenditure for 2009–10 will be an all-time record high, with the education department getting the highest share of Rs 1170 crore.

While no new taxes have been proposed, the MCD has proposed cutting office expenses and telephone bills. “We are hoping to garner Rs. 1400 crore as property tax this year and the target for 2009–2010 is Rs. 1600 crore,” said Mehra.