NDMC budget: No new tax; smart roads, toilets among plans

New Delhi, Jan. 13: Smart roads, dedicated toilets for third gender, public echarging stations, drinking water fountains, sewage treatment plants, setting up of an Integrated Command and Control Centre and not imposing any new tax for the next financial year, are among the plans listed by the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) in its annual budget announced on Wednesday.

The civic body’s chairman Dharmendra, presented a budget with a moderate surplus of `136.18 crore in the current financial year and `172.47 crore for financial year 2021-22 reflecting its commitment to a well governed and financially sustainable municipal body.

“NDMC has not proposed any new tax for the next financial year in spite of a number of reliefs granted this year. In parallel, NDMC reported completion of major projects like integrated command and control centre this year and a series of projects for the next financial year focusing on uninterrupted power supply, other civic services and strengthening its internal governance,” he said in his budget speech.

“In the pandemic scenario the NDMC Budget is

◗ The civic body’s chairman Dharmendra, presented a budget with a moderate surplus of `136.18 crore in the current financial year and `172.47 crore for financial year 2021-22 reflecting its commitment to a well governed and financially sustainable municipal body

focused on uninterrupted, tech-enabled, smart, reliable, strong, swasth, swachh, futuristic and caring public service delivery. New Delhi Municipal Council has prepared a budget which conveys our commitment to make NDMC a national pride and global benchmark as a resilient, inclusive, responsive, sustainable and future ready urban local body,” he added.

Dharmendra said financial year 2020-21 commenced in an unprecedented manner with a complete national lockdown on account of global Covid-19 pandemic which, over the coming months, only intensified followed by phase-wise unlocking process.

“I can say with confidence that NDMC has been successful in ensuring all municipal services in an uninterrupted manner befitting its leading persona among national local bodies,” he said. —