Gujarat: AMC budget revised to Rs 8,000 crore

The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation has finalised its Rs 8,051 crore budget for 2019-20. This year, the total budget is15 per cent more than last year's budget. While presenting the budget standing committee chairman Amul Bhatt said the budget will focus on the development aspect of city.

Earlier on January 22, Municipal Commissioner presented his draft budget of Rs 7,509 crore in which Bhatt made revision and made changes worth Rs 542 crore. The chairman has given many themes to his budget 'Smart city – Green City – Clean City – My Dream City – Amdavad'.

"Ahmedabad is grown engine of Gujarat and model for development for many cities and state. Being the only heritage city of the country, with this budget we will explore new parameters of development," said the chairman while presenting budget.

The main highlight of Wednesday's budget announcement was five flyovers. The Commissioner while presenting his budget had not mentioned about these new proposed flyovers.

For this fiscal year, Rs 30 crore has been proposed for the flyovers.

While for the health facility, at the LG Hospital a new IVF facility centre will come up. Bhat has allocated Rs 1 crore for the next fiscal.

Keeping in mind the upcoming general election, the BJP-run civic body has emphasised on inclusive development. The budget has provision for the official residents of the AMC staff from class one to class four. Two new competitions announced for the citizens which includes a women's cricket championship and photography competition themed on Ahmedabad's Heritage.

"This budget is for the city's development and welfare of the citizens. With holistic development approach, the budget has all the realistic projects. Next year, being the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, we will install a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Riverfront behind the Sabarmati Ashram," said Bhatt.

"Kankaria which is hosting carnival every year and has many attractions in it. During carnival we are hiring agency to provide lighting system. From this year there will be permanent world class lights in the lakefront, this will also include laser show," added Bhatt.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE BUDGET

NO HIKE IN TAX

Being the election year, there is no change in tax system. The civic body has continued giving 100% vehicle tax relief to the electric vehicles, announced last year. Moreover, all the public charitable institutes working for heath sector in the civic body's buildings would be given 70% tax rebate.

FIVE NEW BRIDGES

To ease the traffic congestion in the city, five new flyovers have been proposed. The proposed Dandi Chowk flyover will help reduce the traffic flow from Gandhinagar. The corporation has allocated Rs 10 crore each for Dandi Chowk and Naroda Patiya Junction. Also, Rs5 crore has been allocated to prepare a feasibility report for low-level bridge at Vinobabhavenagar and Vivekanandnagar. Another, Rs 5 crore has set aside for feasibility report of flyover at Shahibaugh Dafnala and Maninagar Crossing.

FOR HERITAGE CITY

Keeping the heritage essence in the mind, the Lal Darwaja bus stop will be modernised with heritage theme. Along with the upliftment of the bus terminus, the surroundings roads, Sardarbaug, Bhadra Fort, Apana Bazar, District Panchayat office etc will also be given heritage touch. There will be a clean heritage street food hub in Manek Chowk, for this a provision of Rs5 crore has been made.

INTER MODEL TRANSPORT HUB

After Ranip inter model transport hub, the civic body on the similar lines is going to develop inter model transport hub at Kalupur, where all the transport facilities will be connected to Railways, Metro, AMTS and Bus Rapid Transport System. For the first stage, Rs10 crore has been made to develop a hub for different transport connectivity.

HOSPITAL AND IVF CENTER

A referral hospital of 100-beds at the cost of Rs 7 crore have been announced for the eastern part of city. The Shardaben General Hospital will be renovated at a cost of Rs 10 crore. An IVF centre at LG Hospital has been announced which will give affordable service to the deprived class. In all AMC-run hospital canteen service will start, which will give meal for Rs10.

GREEN AHMEDABAD

For the urban forest Rs 1 crore rupees has been allocated, especially near to Pirana landfill site and on other open plots. Even though, no tree census has been conducted after 2012, the civic authority assumes that city has around 7.75 lakh trees. In addition to 10 gardens announced by the commissioner, standing chairman announced three new gardens at the cost of Rs3 crore.

DRESS CODE FOR SANITATION STAFF

There is a dress code and uniform for the sanitation staff. Still, the dress code has been announced for the sanitation staff for the better implementation of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. The dress code will give them different identity and they can levy fine from the offenders.

NATIONAL LEVEL PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

After city being declared as the World Heritage city by UNESCO it has attracted many tourist. Now from the next fiscal the civic body has announced national level photography competition of monuments and heritage structure of Ahmedabad. There will be prizes of Rs1 crore.

CRICKET TOURNAMENT

Inter state women's cricket tournament has been announced and allocation of Rs50 lakh has been set aside for it. To encourage citizens to become sports enthusiastic, many sports complexes have been announced. Bhatt has announced a sport complex at old building of LG Hospital's gym at the cost of Rs3 crore. A cricket coaching centre has been announced.

AHMEDABAD FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE

For recreational activities for families and to give a theme park near to Vasna – Pirana one family entertainment centre would be established. At this place there will be multiplexes, gardens, restaurants,adventure park, amusement park, artificial pond and open air theatre would be developed.

SIX MODEL ROADS TO BE DEVELOPED

Investment of Rs 30 crore has been declared to make one model roads in six zones. The existing roads, Science City Road – Gota, Corporate Road – Sarkhej, Vastral Road, Asarva Road, Nikol Road and Maninagar roads will be redeveloped on the lines of existing CG Road with on street parking space, footpath, cycling trek and toilets.