NEW DELHI: South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) Commissioner Puneet Kumar Goel, during the civic body's Budget proposal for the next financial year, unfolded an ambitious plan to convert all classes in its schools into smart classes and to equip them, and 55 Municipal buildings, with solar panels.
Presenting the Revised Budget Estimates (RBE) on Friday, Goel said SDMC will focus on solid waste management, construction of engineered landfill sites, biomethanisation plants, construction and demolition plants etc.
The RBE also emphasised on better health facilities in South Delhi, with construction of a hospital, upgradation of specialised units in existing hospitals, setting up of central medical store, diagnostic centers among others.
"Solar panels in school buildings and several other Municipal buildings will be installed next year. Computer-aided learning lab facility will be ensured in as many as 589 schools. This year, we have converted a total of 2 lakh street lights to LED which is a world record," said Goel.
The RBE revealed a revenue of Rs 4,571.71 crore, and expenditure of Rs 4,977.93 crore.
The Corporation has estimated 69 per cent revenue from internal source, 14 per cent from grants, 12 per cent from global share of taxes and 5 per cent from Municipal Reform Funds.
Of the total expenditure, 18.08 per cent has been allocated for education, 23.76 per cent for sanitation, 19.08 per cent for engineering and 5.38 per cent for health.
The Commissioner said that of four new mid-day meal kitchens, with state-of-art facilities, would be constructed in one school each in four zones.
Various other proposals were highlighted to improve enrolment in SDMC schools, including increasing of uniform subsidy from Rs 600 to Rs 1,100, development of sports complex in ten schools with the help of Sports Authority of India (SAI).
Additionally, the civic body also proposed initiating programmes to improve education, such as the 'School Quality Enhancement Programme, 'Let's Read Programme, Science club, and 'Engagement of Councillors' in schools.
Other major decisions announced at the meeting included proposed of a 1 per cent education cess levied on the annual value of any property.
It was also proposed to levy the property tax on non-residential properties according to the categories.
The proposal is to fix 20 per cent on category A to F and 15 per cent on G and H categories.
A proposal was also made to do away with the 20 per cent additional rebate on cooperative group housing societies.
"Property tax collection is being done mainly through online and 2 per cent rebate for paying tax through online," Goel informed.