Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC), which is likely to present its budget for the financial year 2024-25 this month, has decided to allocate most funds to complete the ongoing projects and the projects that had been proposed in the previous budget.
The civic body was not able to complete many major projects due to funds crunch and delay in the approval from the state urban development and housing department.
The empowered standing committee meeting to finalize the budget, which is expected to be around Rs 2,500 crore, would be held on February 17 under the chairmanship of Patna mayor Sita Sahu. This year’s budget, according to PMC sources, will also focus on developing infrastructure, taking measures to curb air pollution, waste management or sanitation and beautification of the city.
According to officials, some of the major projects include storm water drainage project being executed by the Bihar Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited with an expenditure of Rs 957 crore.
The other projects are control room at the PMC headquarters for monitoring of garbage collection from households, smart material recovery facility, trommel machines at landfill site and solar plants at government buildings. Water sprinkler vehicles, smog guns, CNG vehicles, e-carts and sweeping machines have been purchased to curb air pollution. Work has been going on to develop the G+1 vending mart at Kadamkuan while bidding will be initiated to develop G+5 building of the civic body.
This year, the PMC has also allocated Rs 1 crore to each ward councillor for civic amenities like water pipeline, sewage and road works.
Ashish Kumar Sinha, an empowered standing committee member of PMC, said many big projects have been stalled due to funds crunch.
“We have decided to add these projects in the annual budget. These projects include open Wi-Fi zone in all wards, bio mechanization plant, construction and demolition waste facilities, bio-CNG plant, garbage transfer stations in all six circles, new building of PMC, open gym facility at 26 parks, urban health and wellness centre and three malls at PMC’s land among other projects,” he said.
