DCC announces Tk 14.02b budget for fiscal 2007-08
Monday, 2 July 2007
FE Report
The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) announced Sunday a Tk 14.02 billion budget for fiscal 2007-08, down by around 7.0 per cent from that of the previous year.
The DCC has not raised the holding tax in the new budget. The rate of holding tax remains at 12 per cent.
The budget, however, is higher by 65.66 per cent or Tk 5.55 billion over the revised budget for fiscal 2006-07, which ended on June 30 last.
The budget for 2006-07 was revised downward by Tk 6.60 billion to Tk 8.46 billion.
However, it pledged to raise its revenue from non-tax areas like bus terminals, billboards, trade licence and reconstruction as well as construction of high-rise buildings in the city.
DCC Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka announced his sixth budget of the country's largest city corporation at the Mohanagar Nattayamancho in presence of ward commissioners, DCC officials and newsmen.
"We have no plan for raising the rate of tax. But we need fresh assessment on holdings in the city area. The earning from holding tax might be around Tk 1.5 billion in 2006-07," Khoka said.
However, the DCC Mayor said around Tk 4.78 billion is expected to be mobilised from holding tax, markets, trade licences, rickshaw licence fee, bus-truck terminals, cattle markets and others.
He also said around Tk 8.78 billion is expected to be available from government grants, foreign aid and private investment, which will be 126 per cent or around Tk 4.89 billion higher than that of the revised budget for 2006-07.
Of the total budget outlay, nearly Tk 10.99 billion has been earmarked for the city's development, which include road and traffic infrastructure maintenance, maintenance and development of graveyards, development of recreation centres, development of physical infrastructure and maintenance of Nagar Bhaban, regional offices, community centres, gymnasiums, hospitals, maternity clinics and others.
DCC Mayor said Tk 1.63 billion has been earmarked for development and maintenance of roads and traffic infrastructure.
Tk 978 million has been allocated for development and maintenance of physical infrastructure, DCC mayor added.
"We have raised the allocation for the development of environment. We have allocated Tk 41.5 million for the environment related projects," Khoka added.
Of the total outlay, Tk 1.98 billion has been allocated for different ongoing and new projects. This includes installation of sodium bulbs and DCC solid waste management project.
Besides, Tk 250 million has been earmarked for development of airport road project, Tk 850 million for construction of four kutcha bazaar projects, Tk 90 million for construction of road from Mirpur Grameen Bank to Eye Hospital.
"We took initiative to construct Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover project at a cost of Tk 3.0 billion under private investment in the previous year," Khoka added.
But the project work has remained stalled due to coordination related problem among Dhaka WASA, Titas Gas, Dhaka Electric Supply Authority, DCC mayor added.
He, however, emphasised on formulation of a forward-looking master plan to cater to the needs of the sprawling capital city.
In this context, he suggested expansion of DCC domain from the Buriganga to Joydevpur, encompassing Shitalakhyya banks, Keraniganj and Savar.
"We have to appoint local or foreign specialists, if needed, to finalise the master plan. Otherwise, this city will turn into a city of trash bin in the near future," the DCC Mayor noted.
Later, answering a volley of questions Sadeque Hossain Khoka said his organisation alone is not responsible for the problem of water-logging in the capital city.
"There are some other government organisations to blame for this water-logging," he told journalists at the budget meet.
He also told the reporters that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) might take steps to detect the corruption of the DCC officials.
"Corruption has been continuing in the region since the British era. However, the ACC might take steps against the corrupt DCC officials and we will cooperate in this regard," DCC mayor added.
He also stressed on the formation of city government instead of City Corporation to provide better services to the city dwellers.
He said mayors of six city corporations had adopted 12 recommendations for making the city corporations into city governments and added: "We have submitted those decisions to the local government adviser Anowarul Iqbal."
"I think the decisions submitted to the government should be implemented in the interest of a better the city life," he added.
The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) announced Sunday a Tk 14.02 billion budget for fiscal 2007-08, down by around 7.0 per cent from that of the previous year.
The DCC has not raised the holding tax in the new budget. The rate of holding tax remains at 12 per cent.
The budget, however, is higher by 65.66 per cent or Tk 5.55 billion over the revised budget for fiscal 2006-07, which ended on June 30 last.
The budget for 2006-07 was revised downward by Tk 6.60 billion to Tk 8.46 billion.
However, it pledged to raise its revenue from non-tax areas like bus terminals, billboards, trade licence and reconstruction as well as construction of high-rise buildings in the city.
DCC Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka announced his sixth budget of the country's largest city corporation at the Mohanagar Nattayamancho in presence of ward commissioners, DCC officials and newsmen.
"We have no plan for raising the rate of tax. But we need fresh assessment on holdings in the city area. The earning from holding tax might be around Tk 1.5 billion in 2006-07," Khoka said.
However, the DCC Mayor said around Tk 4.78 billion is expected to be mobilised from holding tax, markets, trade licences, rickshaw licence fee, bus-truck terminals, cattle markets and others.
He also said around Tk 8.78 billion is expected to be available from government grants, foreign aid and private investment, which will be 126 per cent or around Tk 4.89 billion higher than that of the revised budget for 2006-07.
Of the total budget outlay, nearly Tk 10.99 billion has been earmarked for the city's development, which include road and traffic infrastructure maintenance, maintenance and development of graveyards, development of recreation centres, development of physical infrastructure and maintenance of Nagar Bhaban, regional offices, community centres, gymnasiums, hospitals, maternity clinics and others.
DCC Mayor said Tk 1.63 billion has been earmarked for development and maintenance of roads and traffic infrastructure.
Tk 978 million has been allocated for development and maintenance of physical infrastructure, DCC mayor added.
"We have raised the allocation for the development of environment. We have allocated Tk 41.5 million for the environment related projects," Khoka added.
Of the total outlay, Tk 1.98 billion has been allocated for different ongoing and new projects. This includes installation of sodium bulbs and DCC solid waste management project.
Besides, Tk 250 million has been earmarked for development of airport road project, Tk 850 million for construction of four kutcha bazaar projects, Tk 90 million for construction of road from Mirpur Grameen Bank to Eye Hospital.
"We took initiative to construct Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover project at a cost of Tk 3.0 billion under private investment in the previous year," Khoka added.
But the project work has remained stalled due to coordination related problem among Dhaka WASA, Titas Gas, Dhaka Electric Supply Authority, DCC mayor added.
He, however, emphasised on formulation of a forward-looking master plan to cater to the needs of the sprawling capital city.
In this context, he suggested expansion of DCC domain from the Buriganga to Joydevpur, encompassing Shitalakhyya banks, Keraniganj and Savar.
"We have to appoint local or foreign specialists, if needed, to finalise the master plan. Otherwise, this city will turn into a city of trash bin in the near future," the DCC Mayor noted.
Later, answering a volley of questions Sadeque Hossain Khoka said his organisation alone is not responsible for the problem of water-logging in the capital city.
"There are some other government organisations to blame for this water-logging," he told journalists at the budget meet.
He also told the reporters that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) might take steps to detect the corruption of the DCC officials.
"Corruption has been continuing in the region since the British era. However, the ACC might take steps against the corrupt DCC officials and we will cooperate in this regard," DCC mayor added.
He also stressed on the formation of city government instead of City Corporation to provide better services to the city dwellers.
He said mayors of six city corporations had adopted 12 recommendations for making the city corporations into city governments and added: "We have submitted those decisions to the local government adviser Anowarul Iqbal."
"I think the decisions submitted to the government should be implemented in the interest of a better the city life," he added.