In Covid Era, Mumbai to Get Yoga Centres, Property Tax Relief: Before Civic Body Polls, BMC's List of Offers in Budget 2022

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) chief IS Chahal on Thursday presented a budget of Rs 45,940.78 crore for the financial year 2022-23, with an increase in allocation by 17.70 per cent last year. The budget included some interesting details on allocation. Some new initiatives have been taken too that jungle safaris, nature park visits that will be organised for students. Twenty five astronomical laboratories, equipped with telescopes, lunar calendars and one adaptor for astronomical photography, will be established in municipal schools.

Besides these, Rs 1 crore has been earmarked for climate action cell, Rs 75 crore for waste to energy plant and Rs 3,500 crore have been earmarked for the ambitious Mumbai Coastal Road project. The budget comes ahead of the BMC polls, dates of which will be announced before March 8 as the House comes to an end on the mentioned date. A draft list of the 236 electoral ward boundaries was released two days ago, according to which the number of wards has been increased by nine from the existing 227.

A List of BMC’s Allocations

• Education Budget: Joint Municipal Commissioner Ajit Kumbhar presented education budget of Rs 3370.24 crore for financial year 2022-23. The BMC has kept aside Rs 500 crore for various infrastructures projects for improving school facilities. Budgetary allocation of Rs 419.20 crore has been made for repairs, upgradation and reconstruction of municipal school buildings.

• Astronomical Laboratories: As many as 25 astronomical laboratories are proposed to be established in municipal schools to increase the astronomical knowledge of students. The labs will be equipped with telescopes, spectroscope, lunar calendars and one adaptor for astronomical photography.

• e-Libraries: Rs 1 crore has been allocated for e-Libraries. The BMC owns 29 public libraries.

• Shiv Yoga Centres: The Mumbai civic body plans to set up 200 Shiv Yoga Centres with a budget of Rs 25 crore, while Rs 5 crore has been allocated for its revenue expenditure. “It is being set up to spread awareness regarding physical and mental health in old, co-morbid and young population. The centres will be setup in public halls, BMC and private school halls, and marriage hall, etc. If 30 people form a group and suggest availability of place, these yoga centres will be started at suggested place. BMC will provide all required appliances at these selected places,” BMC chief IS Chahal said.

• Health Budget Increased: The health infrastructure outlay has been increased to Rs 6,933 crore. The BMC has also submitted a claim of Rs 1417.32 crore and Rs 1347.56 crore for expenditure on various Covid-19 measures adopted till September 2021 to the District city and Suburban Collector respectively, for reimbursement from the State Disaster Response Fund.

• Jungle Safaris, Nature Park: Rs 31 lakh has been kept aside for activities that would help raise awareness on wildlife and biodiversity among students. Guidance lectures on wildlife will be arranged throughout the year. Jungle safaris, nature park and sanctuary visits will be organised for practical learning experience.

• ‘Water for All’ Policy: The policy will look at replacement of old pipelines and other works related to improvement of water supply. A provision of Rs 623.12 crore has been made to the purpose.

• Climate Action Cell: Rs 1 crore has been earmarked for climate action cell, while Rs 75 crore has been earmarked for a waste-to-energy plant at the Deonar dumping ground.

• Byculla Zoo: Rs 115 crore has been allotted for the second phase of the revamp of Byculla Zoo. The construction of the remaining three animal exhibits of Otter, Sambar and Barking deer and Nilgai and Four horned antelope is nearing completion. In the third phase, it has been proposed to develop a zoo extension facility on the two adjacent plots (measuring around 10 acres). Various exotic species like Giraffe, Zebra, White Lion, Jaguar, etc will be exhibited, for which Request For Proposals (RFPs) are being finalised. A budgetary provision of Rs 115.46 crore has been made for zoo-related works.

• 100% Property Tax Relief: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation announced 100 per cent relief from payment of property tax for over 16 lakh citizens, whose flats measure up to 500 square feet of carpet area. “About 16,14,000 citizens will get 100 per cent property tax relief. The amount of exemption to citizens is to the tune of Rs 462 crore per annum,” Chahal said in his budget speech.

• ‘Mini Medical Colleges’: Plans are in place to convert six peripheral hospitals (Rajawadi Hospital, Bhabha Hospital in Kurla and Bandra, VN Desai Hospital, Bharat Ratna Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital aka Shatabdi Hospital in Kandivali, and Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital in Govandi) into “mini medical colleges”. The civic body will also extend the proton therapy facility, currently at Nair Hospital, to the Tata Memorial Hospital.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation also has plans to lessen the burden on tertiary care hospitals, for which it has proposed to start 100 health care centers in the first phase under ‘At your neighborhood’. In these centres, around 139 types of diagnostic tests like, X-ray, CT Scan and mammography, will be available at nominal rates. These centres will facilitate consultation by specialist and superspecialist doctors from KEM, Sion, Nair and Cooper hospitals via telemedicine. Checkup programme for diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and heart disease will be arranged.

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