GCC budget: Women's gyms to be set up in 200 wards at Rs 10 crore

CHENNAI: Good news for women and children, the Greater Chennai Corporation, in its annual budget on Wednesday, announced ward-level child protection committees and exclusive gyms for women in all of its 200 wards. At Rs 1,321 crore, the lion’s share of the budget has been allocated for the construction of the storm water drains in Chennai.

As per the city corporation budget, tabled by GCC chairperson (taxation and finance) Sarbajaya Das at the Ripon Buiildings on Wednesday, the fiscal deficit has dropped to Rs 263 crore from Rs 377 crore for the 2023-24 fiscal. The corporation’s revenue for 2024-25 is projected to be Rs 4,464.60 crore while expenditure will be Rs 4727.12 crore.

Highlighting the features of the budget, Chennai mayor R Priya said to prevent inundation and the perennial problem of water logging during monsoon, the civic body has planned to maintain eight water bodies at an estimated cost of Rs 10 crore.

In the present fiscal 2023-24, the revenue was projected at Rs 4,131.70 crore and expenditure Rs 4,508.30 crore with a deficit of Rs 377 crore. The revenue from capital is expected to be Rs 3,455 crore and expenditure at Rs 3,140.58 crore. The civic body will have Rs 315 crore surplus, as per the financial report tabled by Sarbajaya Das.

The revised property tax estimate for the financial year 2023-2024 has been fixed at Rs 1,680 crore. In the upcoming year, it is expected to be Rs1,750 crore. Similarly, the revised amount of professional tax is Rs 500 crore whereas the tax is expected to be Rs 550 crore in 2024-25.

The highest fund allocation is for storm water drain construction, at an estimated cost of Rs 1,321 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. The works will be carried out in Kosasthailayar River by using the Asia Development Bank (ADB) funds.