Hyderabad
The Government which has made tall claims to allocate Rs 10,000 crore annually for GHMC in the budget has gone back on the promise once again. The government, which has not allocated funds properly for two years on the pretext of the corona, has ignored the Greater in this budget as well. Allocations made for Metro, GHMC, HMDA, Water Works Departments are disappointing. GHMC sent proposals for Rs 2,500 crore, got only Rs 88.26 crore. To the Water Works Department, for the asked Rs 3,000 crore, only Rs 1,925 crore was allocated. Metro needs Rs 4,500 crore for the second phase expansion and has got only Rs 377.35 crore. There are no allocations for the MMTS expansion project once again. While a minimum of Rs 8,000 crore is required for HMDA projects, only Rs.1,700 crore has been allotted.
Of the Rs 88.26 crore allotted to GHMC, Rs. 7.83 crore is for salaries, 10 Crore property tax, and rents of government buildings in the twin cities, Rs. 60.43 crore for compensation and other requirements. There are no allocations to repay the loans taken for SRDP and Double Bed Room Housing. In addition, GHMC needs huge funding for various development works. Already GHMC is facing a debt burden of 4,590 crores and is paying interest of One Crore Rupees per day. Another 150 Crore has been allocated to the development of outskirt areas.
Water Works Department sought around 3000 Crore rupees - Rs. 750 crore for loans repayment, Rs. 500 crore for current bills, Rs. 725 crore for Sunkisala project, Rs.300 crore for Free Water Scheme, 300 Crore for Keshavapur project, Zone-3 sewerage system, new STPs (sewerage treatment plants), etc. But the Government only allotted 200 Crore in total. Apart from these, Rs 2,000 crore is required to remove the old drainage system and build a new one in the city. No allocation was made for this. Rs 1200 crore for water connections for every household inside ORR. But not a single rupee has been allocated.
HMDA, which is responsible for designing Future City, received only limited funding in the budget. It has got - 350 Crore to pay JICA loans related to ORR, Rs. 540 crores for construction of bridges over Musi, Rs. 250 crores for Himayat Sagar beautification, and Rs. 100 crore for construction of STPs under Hussain Sagar Catchment Improvement Program. There was no allocation for Musi East and West Corridor development project which needs 5,916 Crore Rupees. There is no funding for the construction of logistics parks and other development work around the Outer.