The ruling BJP has harped on the “dependable and time-tested” (but never tried) formula of seeking regularisation of illegal constructions in the vast eastern suburbs of Ahmedabad. The move aims to attract more and more voters ahead of the Lok Sabha polls to be held later this year.

The standing committee on Monday added Rs 259.54 crore to the municipal commissioner’s budget, which had pitched Rs 3,312.04 crore for 2009-10, to take it to Rs 3,571.58 crore.

Rajya Sabha member and former chairman of the Ahmedabad Urban Development Authority (AUDA), Surendra Patel, was also present at the budget presentation of standing committee chairman Asit Vora.

Patel assured the media that the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) will only send a request to the state government for re-introducing impact fee rule, but the deadline for the same would remain as set originally.

Nobody was, however, convinced even though he said that this was being done only to resolve some Revenue Department issues.

Impact fee was originally the brainchild of Surendra Patel.

Another populist measure announced was the rejection of hike in general tax and user charges as suggested in the municipal commissioner’s budget to mop up Rs 60 crore.

It may be noted that the hike in user charges was a precondition for getting JNNURM funding. The BJP had partly allowed the commissioner’s proposals last fiscal, but this time it was a strict “no-no”, with the elections just round the corner.

Besides, it has also been proposed to offer 10 per cent rebate in general tax if paid in advance in April 2009.

Emphasis has been laid on housing schemes for the poor with a proposal for adding another 2,000 houses to the 18,000 planned. Flats have been included in provision of basic facilities to 40 square metre houses. This will invoke interest among upper middle and lower middle class population in the election year.

He said three more city civic centres will be built, one each at Chandkheda, Ramol and Viratnagar, besides the construction of offices in nine wards.

The committee, he said, had decided to raise Rs 250 crore through tax-free bonds or commercial borrowings. Earlier, this was for Rs 150 crore.