Hyderabad civic body’s FY24 budget of Rs 6,224 crore was approved without debate.

HYDERABAD: Amid the din, the GHMC budget of 6,224 crores for the fiscal year 2023-24 was approved at its fifth general assembly meeting on Saturday. No discussion on the budget or the agenda took place due to protests from both BJP and Congress corporators, as mayor Gadwal Vijayalakshmi quickly called for a vote after her efforts to calm the members of the opposition failed.

The GHMC has reduced the fiscal budget for 2022-23 from 6,150 crores to 6,475 crores. The civic body has allocated 25% of its expenditure, or 1,530 crores, in the 2023-24 budget for new roads, flyovers, bridges, road under bridges (RuBs), road under bridges (RoBs), and traffic signals.

775 crore has been set aside for the strategic road development program (SRDP), 150 crore for the comprehensive road maintenance program (CRMP), and 605 crore for other road construction and maintenance. The budget for land acquisition has been set at 700 crores, nala expenditure at 510 crores, and street lighting at 240 crores.

GHMC has set aside 450 crores, or 7% of its total spending, for debt servicing (paying loans). The interest component alone accounts for 390 crores.

Furthermore, the GHMC estimates that borrowings will account for 20% of total receipts (1,218 crores). According to the budget revenue details, the civic body would obtain around 2,000 crores from property taxes, accounting for 32% of total receipts.

“The increase in property tax receipts is due to the 100% evaluation of new characteristics and mutation automatically on property registration without human interface,” according to a GHMC press release.

The estimated revenue for the fiscal year 2022-23 for the town planning wing is Rs. 1,750 crores, accounting for 28% of total receipts. Protests erupted during the general body meeting after BJP and Congress corporators requested that other items on the agenda take priority over the budget discussion.

On the other hand, the mayor insisted on sticking to the agenda. Soon after, opposition party corporators gathered around the chair, holding Congress placards with images of a road collapse in Chaknawadi lane in Goshamahal on Friday. Vijayalakshmi ultimately adjourned the meeting and blasted the BJP for failing to represent their division.