No new levies likely on twin-poll year, but water tax will still go up

MUMBAI: With both Lok Sabha and assembly elections scheduled for later this year, the Shiv Sena-BJP-controlled BMC is expected to unveil a number of populist measures in its next budget to be presented on February 4.

No new taxes will be announced this year; the only pinch is likely to be the increase in water taxes by up to 8%. The annual rise was worked into the revised water taxes two years ago.

There is unlikely to any further increases though the G-budget that is meant for the water and sewerage department is in a bad shape. It is tight with the BMC having spent heavily on replacement of the Tansa pipeline and the Gundawli to Bhandup water tunnel.

The BMC is going to allocate funds for the urban poor, announce sanitation projects aimed at them and also pay for repair of old chawls.

It may announce purchase of ambulances to start a service linked to a common toll-free number that can be used by any citizen.

Another announcement that the politicians are pushing for is redevelopment of civic markets using a floor space index of 4. The extra shops generated will be used to help Kolis and the unemployed youth.

Civic officials requesting anonymity said budgetary allocation will also be made to extend services to gaothans, koliwadas and adivasipadas and setting up of Aadhar kendras.

There will be survey and development of slums under the Rajiv Gandhi Awas Yojana. A pilot has been undertaken in Mankhurd to map the slums and prepare a rehabilitation plan.

With several senior corporators eyeing assembly tickets, they have been after the BMC administration to dole out more sops before the elections "The BMC will also take up construction of homes for conservancy workers. The BMC had planned to outsource the project to a contractor, but now we may do it in-house," said a senior civic official.