With no new tax or development project on the anvil, Kharar City Council (MC) on Thursday approved a budget of ₹115.4 crores for the fiscal year 2022-23.
Presenting a balanced budget at a special meeting of the House on Thursday, Board Chairman Jaspreet Kaur Longia said MC’s revenue target and estimated expenses were both pegged to ₹115.4 crore. Last year, a budget of ₹98 crore was passed by the council.
MC proposed ₹18.8 crores of expenses incurred and ₹91.53 crore as uncommitted expenses.
Expenses include ₹91.53 crores on development works, representing 79% of the estimated budget, which is above the instructions issued by the Punjab government.
AT ₹90 crore, building application fee is the main source of income, followed by ₹12 crore GST and VAT.
MC also expects to win ₹4.5 crore property tax, and ₹3 crore water and sewer bills. Excise duties will yield ₹1.5 crore, electricity and grant ₹1 crore and advertising tax ₹1.2 crore.
Rent, tehbazari and licensing fees should help MC win ₹10 lakh apart ₹2 crores from various sources.
Among the expenses, ₹20 crore has been set aside for a new sewage system, ₹9.3 crore for road repair works, ₹7.6 crores for ravines and road drains, and ₹5 crore for the construction of the MC building and sports stadium.
Wages are estimated to cost the MC ₹10 crores, while ₹3 crore will be spent on tree planting in parks and ₹4 crore on solid waste management. The council has already ₹124.5 crores in his deposit account.
The Chamber also addressed the discussion on the awarding of the advertising contract for a value ₹1.2 crore, or ₹20 lakh more than last financial year.
Councilors appealed to the president of MC not to allow payments to contractors without their consent, as they, not MC officials, were accountable to the residents.
AAP MP for Kharar Anmol Gagan Mann and AAP MP for Chamkaur Sahib Charanjit Singh were also present at the House meeting as two villages of Chamkaur Sahib come under Kharar.
In Kharar’s municipal elections in February last year, Congress won 10 of 27 seats and Shiromani Akali Dal eight. Independent candidates also won eight seats, while the AAP was limited to one.