No new taxes, levies in NDMC budget for 2007-08

New Delhi, Mar 29 (UNI) With a vision for a 'World Class Municipality for a World Class City' the New Delhi Municipal Council today presented a surplus budget of Rs 1.32 crore for 2007-08 fiscal with no new taxes proposed and no hike in water tariff.

While expenses of Rs 1,163.23 crore is expected against revenues of Rs 1,164.55 crore in the next financial year, the revised estimates for 2006-07 indicate a surplus of Rs 2.33 crore, NDMC chairperson Sindhushree Khullar told mediapersons.

''The forthcoming budget is unique in the sense that it has been framed keeping in mind the forthcoming Commonwealth Games and five-year-plan for Delhi and not just the regular annual perspective.'' No new charges or taxes have been levied despite increase in cost of services and 'input' costs to provide better facilities for Delhiites, she said adding a basket of Rs 1,131 crore has been asked from the Delhi government during a five-year period keeping in view the CW Games.

''With continued stress on healthcare and education, construction of disabled friendly toilets and those for women would be our priorities for the next budget, besides making 'English' compulsory in primary schools and bringing them at par with public schools with better infrastructure and computer aids among other things.'' State-of-the-art footover bridges, free modern public toilets, multi-level parking system, upgradation of IT network infrastructure of departments, automation of power distribution and extending private-public partnership in garbage collection and disposal are other areas NDMC wishes to bring for Delhi denizens in near future, she added.

UNI