VMC council passes deficit budget of ₹145 crore for 2025-26

Municipal Corporation Commissioner H.M. Dhyanachandra addressing the municipal council  Budget meeting in Vijayawada on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: G.N. RAO

The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC) council on Saturday (March 22) passed a budget of ₹1,454.58 crore proposed by the civic body with minor objections.

At a meeting held at the VMC Council Hall, Mayor Rayana Bhagyalakshmi presented a deficit budget of ₹145.05 crore for the financial year 2025-25, with an estimated expenditure of ₹1,454.58 crore against the estimated income of ₹1,309.53 crore. The proposed budget is also lower than the ₹1,460.82 crore budget presented for 2024-25.

Reading out the proposal, the Mayor said the revenue income and capital income are pegged at ₹808.33 and ₹454.15 respectively for the upcoming year whereas the revenue expenditure and capital expenditure stood at ₹705.94 crore and ₹691.78 crore in that order.

The sources of revenue and capital income include ₹332.86 crore from tax collection, income of ₹82.1 crore from Water Supply and Underground Drainage, ₹61.46 crore from Town Planning, ₹239.48 crore from the Central grants and contributions, ₹214.07 from the State government grants and contributions. Also, ₹100 crore is estimated from Urban Reforms Funds from the Centre, ₹73 crore from the 15th Finance Commission Grants.

A CPI(M) corporator staging a protest saying that the city residents need a budget that reduces the tax burden, in Vijayawada on Saturday.
| Photo Credit:
G.N. RAO

The budget allocation to control stray animal menace, which remained the main topic of discussion in many council meetings in 2024, has increased to ₹5.5 crore this year from ₹2 crore in 2024-25. Similarly, the budget allocation for the maintenance of roads, pavements has increased to ₹9 crore from ₹7.5 crore in 2024-25. The maintenance of sewage water drain and open drains, too, has seen an increase in the budget allocation by ₹2.2 crore this year from last year.

There has been no change in the allocation made for maintenance of street lights and traffic signals from last year. Both the times, an allocation of ₹5 crore was made for the purpose.

The corporation is expected to get funds to the tune of ₹150 crore for the Budameru Development Fund, but it has not received any for the modernisation of Krishna delta system.

The corporation has proposed to spend ₹7.5 crore for the Budameru Development Plan. A sum of ₹32 crore has been allocated for the development of all the 64 divisions under the VMC limits. Meanwhile, there is a drastic decrease in the allocation made for canal beautification works from last year. Against an allocation of ₹5 crore in 2024-25, the corporation has allocated ₹75 lakh this year.

Speaking after the presentation of the budget, TDP Floor Leader N. Balaswamy said the budget would only increase burden on the people because there is a difference of ₹145.05 crore between the estimated expenditure and income.

On hill area development, for which the corporation has set aside ₹2 crore this year against ₹5 crore last year, he remarked: “While the Mayor talked about the city achieving overall development, we have to remember that the corporation spent only ₹50 lakh in 2024 against the proposed expenditure of ₹5 crore. This year, they have reduced the proposed expenditure to ₹2 crore.” He wondered how the amount would be enough for over 20 divisions falling under the hill areas in the city, where people are demanding the provision of stairs, drinking water and other facilities.

The party submitted proposals increasing the budget allocation for development of hill areas, municipal hospitals and distribution of medicines.

Pointing out that the corporation did not spend anything last year out of the proposed expenditure of ₹16 crore on Budameru development, CPI(M) Floor Leader B. Satyam Babu said the corporation should at least spend the allocated amount this year.