The English Bazar Municipality (EBM) hiked its Budget by about Rs 12 crore aiming at creation of garbage-free area under the civic body. Water supply, water conservancy, cleanliness, drainage, beautification and various social sectors are the other areas to be laid stress on. The discussion on the Budget was held in a meeting on March 25. The civic body has also managed to raise its earnings by about Rs 10 crore.
Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury, Chairman of EBM, said: “We are now going to gift our residents a garbage-free municipal area. Water supply and conservancy are being given special importance. Various social sectors are also to be developed. We managed to raise our own funds to add more to the Budget.”
EBM has been lacking a dedicated place to dump garbage which has adversely affected the municipal area. Finally the problem has been resolved. To ensure a plastic free area, a recycling plant for this waste is being setup at Kanchantar area under the English Bazar police station.
Choudhury further stated that all the high rises and government buildings, new or old, are to be asked to have provisions for rain water harvesting. A directive to this effect will be issued shortly. Immunisation; growth of health facilities; setting up of parks; construction of community toilets are the bull’s eye in social sector. EBM will also take steps to increase greenery in the municipal area.
A detailed geographic information system (GIS) based map has been prepared to expand the municipal area.
A draft of this has been sent to the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India for approval and allocation of funds.
In the last Budget there was an allocation of around Rs 157 crore, which now has been raised to around Rs 169 crore. The civic body also earned Rs 29 crore approximately in the last 11 months. The last time it was around Rs 17 crore.