Tabling the first ever budget of over Rs 2,000 crore in the standing committee, Municipal Commissioner Praveensinh Pardeshi has targeted traffic, water supply, drainage and solid waste management as the critical areas.

“Out of Rs1087 allocated for capital expenditure last year, the PMC has spent Rs 498 crore on the capital works by the end of January and will spend about Rs 800 by the end of March. This year’s budget includes last year’s spill over capital works and the money allocated for it,” said Pardeshi.

“As far as the expenditure under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) is concerned, we are much ahead of Pimpri-Chinchwad and Mumbai. Our physical expenditure until now has been Rs 268 crore and soon we will be receiving the third installment under the JNNURM,” he said.

The civic administration has targeted an octroi collection of Rs 745 crore for the year - 46 per cent of the total revenue. While Rs 297 crore is to be collected through property tax, the projected collection through water charges is Rs 80 crore. The PMC has also decided to levy a minimum charge of Rs 750 from all property owners each year. PMC is eyeing Rs 240 crore as development charges and building permissions, while Rs 68 crore will come by way of government grants.

On the expenditure side, PMC will spent Rs 325 crore on salaries, Rs120 crore will be set aside for primary education, Rs 200 crore has been allocated for gardens and other environmental projects, Rs 225 crore for slum improvement and rehabilitation while sewarage projects will get Rs160 crore.

The civic administration has decided to raise Rs 200 crore through debt from multilateral agencies like the World Bank. “The PMC is fully stretched by way of tax resource potential. Since that money is not proving sufficient, we have suggested a loan of Rs 200 crore,” said Pardeshi.

In view of rising urbanisation and dwindling number of trees, the PMC has proposed to increase its green cover on 700 acres of land in the city. The civic administration has made allocations of Rs 200 crore in its annual budget for 2008-09 for the development of 36 gardens on a total of 300 acres and bio diversity parks (BDP) on 400 acres.

“Rising urbanisation and change in the pattern of land usage has led to increase in the generation of green house gases. Therefore there is a comprehensive plan to increase the green cover in the city. Areas along the rivers, nullahs and lakes in Pashan, Kondhwa and Katraj will be developed and beautified under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.”