NMMC chief stresses on health, education, envt in latest budget

NAVI MUMBAI: The Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation (NMMC) chief, Abhijit Bangar, presented a budget estimate of ₹4,825Cr for the financial year 2021-22 on Thursday.

Calling the budget “Peoplecentric”, he has not hiked taxes and stated that the emphasis was on health, education and environment, for which increased allocations have been made.

The budget has estimated an income of ₹4,825Cr including an opening balance of ₹1,627.42 Cr. It plans to spend ₹4,822.30Cr, leaving a surplus of ₹2.70Cr. The commissioner said that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, his administration has managed to achieve its revenue target of ₹4,772Cr in the current financial year. It is expecting ₹4,709Cr as per the revised estimates for the year ending March 31, 2021.

Bangar, who is also the administrator in the absence of an elected body and hence does not require the sanction of a standing committee or the general body, said, “We have made a budget that caters to the expectations and aspirations of the people. Health, education and environment are our priorities in the budget. Taking into account the difficult times that the residents have gone through during the Covid pandemic, we have decided not to increase property or any other tax in the coming year. Instead we will work towards optimizing the existing revenue collection by going after those who have managed to escape the tax net so far.”

Bangar said that instead of burdening regular tax payers, coercive action will be taken against tax defaulters who have defaulted over ₹2,300Cr.

The NMMC has allotted ₹500Cr for the health department to boost the health services in the city. This is 10 per cent of the total budget.

Bangar added, “Apart from upgrading the existing health infrastructure, we also intend to start a medical college, for which ₹20Cr has been provided for this year.”