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First BJP ruled Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) went for a Rs. 367 crore budget – with an expected deficit of Rs. 59.11 lakh-for the FY 2022. Mayor Dipak Majumdar presented the budget on Monday . The budget that pegged Rs 121.57 crore hike over the last FY’s budget of Rs. 245.33 crore was evidently aimed the next assembly polls slated for 2023.
The budget sought to sway the youths with important announcements : 500 Interest Subvention Loans of Rs 2 lakh for the unemployed residing in the AMC areas and 300 Interest Subvention Loans for the Women SHGs of AMC area. These two announcements are expected to help employment generation, women empowerment in the corporation region.
There were also reliefs from the taxes. There is no new tax proposal in the budget.
Majumdar soon after the budget presentation told the media that the AMC budget for the previous year was Rs. 245.33 crore and this year the budget increased to Rs. 367 crore, which is Rs. 121.67 crore higher than the previous one. The AMC projected income at Rs. 366.39 crore which left Rs 59.11 lakh deficit.
While placing the budget proposals in the council house, Majumder also announced that the AMC had decided to waive off the charges required for cremation at Battala crematorium in order to give respite to the people from heavy fees. Sources said, the previous AMC council raised the charges from Rs 400 to Rs 1,000.
“For the fiscal year 2022-23, a budget worth Rs 367 crore is placed today. If compared to the previous budget, the budget has been increased by Rs 121 crore. The sole purpose of the budget is overall development of Agartala city”, he said.
Taking a jibe at the Left who ruled the Corporation for several consecutive terms, Majumder said, “For the last 25 years, the Left parties deprived the people of the city from what they actually deserved. Residents of Agartala city did not taste the flavor of real development until the BJP government was formed in the state. We want to make sure that all services reach the city dwellers as they keep their faith in us again and again. Respecting the electorates, we did not go for introducing new taxes rather laid emphasis on collecting pending taxes”.
According to the Mayor, the AMC council has also proposed rebates on early timely payment of taxes. “If the property tax is paid within the month of April, the AMC will give 30 percent rebate on the payable amount while the 20 and 10 percent offs will be granted if payments are done in the months of May and June. After June, there will be no relaxations”, said Majumder. Similarly, attractive rebates are proposed for pending property taxes.
Apart from that, AMC has also earmarked funds for setting up a scientific butcher house and ensuring a smooth traffic system in the state. Extending his sincere thanks to Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Majumder told reporters that the AMC is committed to bring visible changes in the lives of city dwellers and the budget is a “document of progress”.
