Asok presents deficit budget - Mayor praises state departments, announces projects

TT, Siliguri, June 28: Mayor Asok Bhattacharya today presented the budget of the Siliguri Municipal Corporation with a deficit of Rs 1.52 crore for the 2016-2017 fiscal.

In his budget speech the mayor acknowledged that few departments like north Bengal development and Siliguri Jalpaiguri Development Authority have done a number of development work in the town and he had received positive response from the state PHE department.

"Although I have submitted a deficit budget, I have mentioned our plans on how to make up for the shortfall. We will work hard on taxes, especially tax from buildings that are used for commercial purposes. In the 2014-2015 fiscal, the tax collection was Rs 4.5 crore. But in 2015-2016, we have increased the collection to Rs 9 crore. We are going to conduct special drives for proper assessment of the buildings so that we can assess the taxes properly," Bhattacharya said.

Sources said the SMC needed 55 million litre of water daily for its 47 wards but now, it distributes only 45 million litre.

"We have got assurance from the state PHE department to upgrade the drinking water supply. The department experts will assist us to get another 10 million litres daily. I am thankful to SJDA and NBDD which have done some development work in town," Bhattacharya said.

He spoke about sanitation, parking lots, foot bridges, upgrade of the SMC health centre, banning plastic bags and encroachment removal among other things.

Trinamul leader Nantu Paul criticised the budget. "The budget failed to reflect any development scheme. The mayor didn't mention how to improve basic services or its (SMC's) income. This budget will not be able to develop the town."