Hubli
Finance, Taxation And Appeal Committee Chairperson Mallikarjun Gundur presented a Rs 2.8 crore surplus budget related to water supply during a general body meeting of Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC).
The Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation (KUIDFC) and World Bank-assisted Karnataka Water Supply Modernisation Project 2024-25 revised estimated budget papers were tabled here on Thursday and passed by the general body of HDMC.
The budget is expecting Rs 63.6 crore on water tax, Rs 64.7 crore for the implementing 24X7 water supply project through KUIDFC and Rs 140 crore against pending water bills. The total revenue receipt is Rs 268.3 crore and the projected spending is Rs 278.9 crore.
The previous year's pending water bill is Rs 144 crore and Rs 4 crore has been collected to date. It is expected to collect pending bills. By appointing an NGO, awareness regarding the water supply project and recovery of pending bills will be created.
In Hubli-Dharwad there are a total of 1.8 lakh water supply connections, and more than 30 connections are illegal estimated, which will be regularised involving L&T.
A plan has been chalked out to improve the water supply system with sufficient pressure in 220 sq km in Hubballi-Dharwad by implementing a 24×7 water supply system.
Former Mayor Veeranna Savadi expressed concern over the estimated budget and said the budget was prepared without proper study. The city area has grown to over 400 sq km, but still, the officials have mentioned it as 220 sq km. They have also mentioned that they will start the recovery of Rs 144 crore old and pending bills. How are they going to recover it and what ideas do they have, he asked.