Six-fold increase in MCG funds for environment, water supply in 2020-21 budget

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is likely to increase the allocation of funds for environment-related works and water supply significantly in its budget

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) is likely to increase the allocation of funds for environment-related works and water supply significantly in its budget for the 2020-21 financial year.

HT Image

According to officials with knowledge of the matter, the increase will likely be to the tune of Rs 60 crore, six times its budget for the same in the previous fiscal.

They added that the increase is needed as the MCG wants to convert places near drains into recreational areas, such as the Badshahpur drain, and has been looking for suitable sites for it. The allocation for the same in the last fiscal was Rs 10 crore.

At the five-kilometre stretch of the Badshahpur drain, between Vatika Chowk and Hero Honda Chowk, the MCG has set up jogging, cycling and walking tracks, as well as sitting space for an open-theatre, among others. In addition, the MCG has planted native trees and shrubs in the area along with creating spaces for groundwater recharging.

In March, the MCG had initiated a survey of drains across the city and identified Gwal Pahari and Jharsa drains as potential sites for undertaking a similar venture, assessment of which officials said would take place later this year.

“With the city expanding rapidly, it was realised that a higher allocation of funds was needed to preserve the environment and simultaneously undertake initiatives which would result in both conservation and spaces for citizens to undertake recreational activities,” said Vinay Pratap Singh, commissioner, MCG.

Environmentalists, meanwhile, said that the MCG should also allocate some of its funds for checking environment-related violations.

“The MCG should also look at creating an environmental task force whose sole focus should be on surveillance and patrolling across the city to curb violations such as tree felling, illegal construction and demolition waste dumping, burning of waste, illegal mining, and illegal dumping into storm water drains. This too will help the city preserve its environment, along with giving greater attention on increasing it as well,” said Vaishali Rana Chandra, an environmentalist.

Under the water supply category, MCG officials said that funds are likely to be increased by almost three times in the 2020-21 fiscal. Officials said that the civic body may reserve around Rs 100 crore for this fiscal against Rs 30 crore allocated in the last budget.

Officials said that the increased funds will also be used for improving water supply in several sectors operated by the Haryana Shahari Vikas Pradhikaran that were transferred to the MCG last year, as well as the MCG’s larger objective of installing water meters across all domestic and commercial establishments in the city.

The MCG only has 33,000 registered water connections in the city, even though it is estimated that there are nearly six lakh properties falling under its jurisdiction.

Property Tax

MCG officials said that the civic body is expecting to net a collection of around Rs 800 crore in the 2020-21 fiscal, against its expected collection of Rs 250 crore last fiscal.

In the previous month, the MCG had prepared a list of 197 properties whose owners owed the civic body more than Rs 20 lakh in property tax, and identified 243 properties whose owners owed the civic body between Rs 10-20 lakh. In addition, the MCG had also sent notices to 150 liquor shop owners last month for pending property tax.

During the two pre-budget meetings, officials had said that the MCG was going to be concentrating on recovering pending property tax dues in the 2020-21 fiscal.

The draft 2020-21 budget was sent to the Directorate of Urban Local Bodies (ULB) for approval on March 27. Officials said they are expecting communication from ULB on the matter within the next five days.