Siliguri: The Siliguri Municipal Corporation has tabled a fiscal budget of Rs 685.24 crore for FY 2025-26.
This translates into a significant 48 per cent increase over the current fiscal year allocation of Rs 334.47 crore. However, this still leaves a budget deficit of Rs 12.40 crore that Mayor Gautam Deb plans to bridge in due course.
The mayor aims to do so by reducing expenditure and increasing income from other innovative sources.
Key infrastructure projects planned include construction of new roads, improvement of river fronts and the sewage system. Special emphasis will be given to building canteens for the poor, installing tube weels and overhauling overall disaster management plans.
Renovation of sports facilities and other ancillaries and improving drinking water quality are also on the anvil. A budgetary outlay of Rs 500 crore has been made accordingly.
Another Rs 189 crore has been allocated for financial assistance to the socio-economically weaker sections and for developing slums.
Siliguri’s 7,389 residents are currently receiving the old age pension, 8,799 women the widow pension and 93,027 women are beneficiaries of Lakshmir Bhandar.
While 4,066 families are currently under the Housing for All scheme another 500 families are to be brought under its purview in the next fiscal.
While each councillor is currently receiving Rs 8.80 lakh as ward development fund, this will be hiked to Rs 8.80 lakh in the next FY.
Siliguri Municipal Corporation is the largest civics body in North Bengal spread over 42 sq km across 47 wards.
