Budget to focus on health, beautification

The main thrust of the 2011-12 civic budget will be on cleanliness, beautification and health projects.

The main thrust of the 2011-12 civic budget will be on cleanliness, beautification and health projects.

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With the civic elections approaching, the BMC is working under the slogan Swach, Sunder, Nirogi Mumbai (Clean, beautiful and Healthy Mumbai).

The BMC will invite private developers to beautify roads, medians and pavements in exchange for advertising spaces. This move will ensure cleaner roads and traffic islands with the BMC not spending much.

Budgetary allocation for health department will see a substantial increase as various schemes — breast cancer clinics, repairs of primary health centres, upgradation of civic dispensaries — have been planned for the below poverty line and financially weaker sections of the society.

“With the polls approaching, we want to spend as much money from the budget on things that will affect the people directly,” said a corporator, requesting anonymity. Some of the beautification projects that were on a hold last year due to financial crunch will be revived.

The BMC will also allocate funds to deal with outbreaks, such as malaria and swine flu, in the budget.