₹262 crore to improve water supply.

Presenting the corporation’s Budget for 2017-18 with a projected fiscal deficit of ₹ 7.88 crore, the Corporation Commissioner and Special Officer, M. Ashokan, said the administration would improve the drinking water supply at ₹ 262 crore with more focus on merged areas.

“As part of the project, 27 tanks and 15 sumps will be constructed. About 455 km long new distribution lines, and 50 km long feeder lines will be laid,” he said.

Of the total project cost, 50 per cent would be from Union Government grants, 20 per cent from the State Government, and the remaining would be raised through external borrowings.

According to Mr. Ashokan, nearly 80 per cent of the citizens in areas that were merged with the corporation in 2011, will benefit from the project.

Among the other projects planned include extension of the underground sewerage scheme and upgrading of roads.

Mr. Ashokan said that the fiscal deficit projected in the budget for 2017-18 will be offset by augmenting tax collections, and through grants from various sources.

The budget had pegged the overall realisation of revenue at ₹ 648.73 crore, and the total expenditure at ₹ 656.61 crore during the financial year 2017-18.

The printing of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s photograph on the front cover of the Budget document invited criticisms.

“On what count the photograph of a person who was indicted by the apex court in disproportionate assets case given? If justification is that she was a former Chief Minister, why other former Chief Ministers’ photographs were not given?” asked Aam Aadmi Party district convener S. Sundarapandian. He said that the matter would be taken up.

Even the present Chief Minister’s photograph was given only on the inside page.

THE HINDU