BSS, Rajshahi :
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has announced a proposed budget worth around Taka 752.01 crore for 2018-19 fiscal.
RCC Mayor MosaddekHossain Bulbul, who rolled out the annual budget at a press conference in Nagar Bhaban here recently, said the existing holding tax will be simplified to a reasonable level.
Giving an overview of the ongoing and proposed development projects of the corporation he stated that the budget has been formulated for ensuring civic amenities to city dwellers.
Mayor Bulbul said the proposed budget for 2017-18 was Taka 565.35 crore, which has been revised at Taka 262.27 crore.
The RCC expects Taka 136.21 crore of the budget will come from revenue, including various rates and fees, Taka 40 crore from different development grants and Taka 520.54 crore from project assistance grants.
The grants include, Tk 131.08 crore from annual development programme, Tk 5.75 crore from City Development Fund and Tk 75 crore from city network project.
On the other hand, Taka 136.06 crore will be spent for salary and allowances of the RCC staff and the rest amount for uplift purposes.
Mayor Bulbul, who announced the last annual budget of the present council, said a modern slaughter house will be constructed at a cost of around Taka 6.20 crore while 190 houses for the poor people.
Salient features of the proposed budget are construction of a 6.79-kilometer connecting road and a 2.50-kilomter road widening, solar street lighting, beautification, setting up of Padma Library and Miapara Public Library, footpath construction and waste management.
Referring to bringing transparency and accountability in the uplift programmes, Bulbul said no works would be kept hidden and everything would be reflected in the next budget.
He said the city corporation has been implementing various progrmmes to bring a qualitative change particularly in the field of infrastructural and environmental elevation in the metropolitan city.
Panel mayors, councilors and the officials concerned were present at the press conference.
