BMC budget will focus on water supply, infrastructure

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to stick to the basics while chalking out its agenda for the next fiscal. It has decided to focus on core areas, assigning low priority to projects of cosmetic importance.

The water sector has been allocated the topmost priority, with an
expected capital outlay of nearly Rs3,175 crore.

Roads, bridges
Rs1,127 crore has been set aside for road and bridge improvement and construction works. Of this, repairs and rehabilitation of bridges will be assigned Rs230 crore. The remaining will be spent on construction of new roads. However, officials said, a large part of the amount allotted has already been spoken for. Escalation in costs of ongoing projects was blamed for this.

Funds have also been set aside for improvement of the traffic signal network and construction of new footpaths. Last year, the roads and bridges department had over Rs1,200 crore to work with.

Healthcare
For the healthcare sector, while salaries will take up a large part of the allocation, at least Rs372.14 crore is expected to be set aside for project work.

Setting up two mother-and-child care centres at Dharavi, a new trauma-care hospital on the Western Express Highway in Jogeshwari, and upgrading infrastructure at KEM and Bhagwati hospitals will be high on the list. Reconstruction of Cooper Hospital will also feature prominently. Focus is also on the malaria control programmes.

Others
The storm water drain and education departments will get substantial allocations.