Surplus budget of ₹19 crore presented by HDMC for 2025-26

A surplus budget of ₹19 crore of the Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) for the financial year 2025-26 was presented and later passed amid uproar by the Opposition Congress members in Hubballi on Thursday.

The total budget outlay for the year 2025-26 is estimated to be at ₹1,512.67 crore, which is ₹20.92 crore more than the previous year’s budget of ₹1,491.75 crore.

Presenting the budget, chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation, Finance and Appeal, Chandrashekhar Managundi proposed five major initiatives, namely tripling the revenue generation through its internal resources and property tax by conducting a GIS survey of properties; installing the LED lights across the twin cities under the Public private partnership model; achieving 100% target in door to door waste collection after segregation of wet and dry waste; completing the implementation of 24×7 drinking water supply by the end of fiscal year and, and providing all necessary basic infrastructure.

As per the budget for 2025-26, the revenue receipts are estimated to be at ₹1,512.67 crore and majority of it (₹694 crore) is expected from the State and Central governments’ grants under various heads.

The HDMC plans to collect ₹303 crore from various tax sources mainly from property tax ₹283 crore. Income from nontax revenue is expected to be ₹296 crore. The corporation also plans to earn ₹200 crore from monetising some of its properties and rental income from its leased properties.

Of the total expenditure of ₹1,493.60 crore, 65% (₹978 crore) is earmarked for capital expenditure. Under the capex, ₹105 crore is reserved as ward fund with ₹1.25 crore allocated for each elected ward member and ₹50 lakh for the five nominated members.

This apart, the municipal commissioner (₹5 crore), Mayor (₹3 core), and Deputy Mayor (₹1.5 crore) will have separate funds to be allocated at their discretion.

In the budget, ₹170 crore is allocated for roads, underground drainage, and emergency works. Additionally, ₹152 crore is allocated to be spent under the Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Vikasa Yojana for roads, UGD, and other development works. Also, the corporation is expecting ₹60 crore for solid waste management under the second phase of Swachha Bharat Mission, in the next financial year.

A health insurance ‘Arogya Raksha’ has been announced in the budget for HDMC councillors and civic labourers and media persons with an allocation of ₹75 lakh. A grant of ₹25 crore expected under the second phase of AMRUT scheme has been earmarked for development of lakes and garden maintenance.

Uproar

Earlier, during presentation of the budget by Mr. Managundi, a comment by the BJP members outraged the Congress members, who rushed to the well of the House and demanded removal of the ‘unparliamentary’ word from the record. However, Mayor Ramanna Badiger clarified that it was not an unparliamentary word and requested the Opposition to allow the budget to be presented.

But the Opposition continued their protest even as Mr. Managundi read out the budget copy. As the ruckus continued even after he completed presenting the budget, the Mayor announced that the budget had been passed.

Published – March 20, 2025 09:08 pm IST