Tk 622.7cr CCC budget announced

The Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) yesterday announced a Tk 622,06,76,000 budget for 2008-09 fiscal.
Acting Mayor M Monzur Alam declared the budget at the auditorium of Theatre Institute of Chittagong at noon.
He said special emphasis has been laid on five new projects worth over Tk 365 crore for massive infrastructure development of the port city having around 40 lakh population and one lakh 21 thousand holdings.
He however said the implementation of the projects aimed at making Chittagong a commercial capital in true sense depends by and large on getting government allocation or fund in due time, an issue that has long been holding back the expected progress of the city.
“Against Tk 396,79,92,000 budget of last fiscal (2007-08), we actually got Tk 208,22,50,000 to run the CCC,” he added.
Pointing to this 'frustrating' scenario regarding government's allocation, Monzur alleged that the CCC is an example of deprivation for a long period, and said no project of the corporation had been incorporated in the annual development programme (ADP) in last 15 years until recently when a Tk 96 crore project was included in it.
Against such a reality, the five ambitious projects that have been taken up are: (1) Tk 190.80 crore project for the development of infrastructure, drainage and environment, (2) Tk 100 crore project for the development of kuchcha roads in least developed wards, (3) Tk 24.98 crore Rajakhali canal excavation-cum-approach road project, (4) Tk 24.80 crore project for completing the works of Shah Amanat International Airport Road-cum- Moheshkhal canal, and (5) Tk 24.75 crore garbage preservation and processing project.
“We hope to get the first installment of Tk 100 crore against these projects in next fiscal year,” he added.
Citing 'zone-wise' decentralisation of Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), the mayor emphasised the need for similar model for the CCC, and said he has already sent a letter in this regard to the ministry concerned asking for dividing the CCC into six zones and approve the proposed organogram.
He said a huge amount of dues worth around Tk 296 crore remains unpaid by different government organisations and it is another factor that holds the corporation back to a large extent.
“Of this, the largest defaulter is Chittagong Port Authority that owes a total of Tk 221 crore 75 lakh to us, followed by Bangladesh Railway Eastern Zone (Tk 45 crore 44 lakh), Chittagong Development Authority (Tk 7 crore 41 lakh) and different government educational institutions (Tk 4 crore 6 lakh),” the mayor said, adding that the dues are unpaid for over 15 to 16 years.
“We could successfully carry out many of our development projects without any financial assistance from the government if we get these unpaid dues soon,” he said.
Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Hossain Jamil, who was present as chief guest, termed the CCC budget a 'balanced' one and urged all to play their respective role for the greater benefit of the port city.
He advised the CCC mayor to take appropriate steps and knock at the proper places in the ministries concerned to resolve the issue of unpaid dues of the corporation.
Chief Executive Officer AKM Khairul Alam, Secretary Md Shamsuddoha, Chief Accounts Officer Narayan Chandra Paul, chairmen of different standing committees and ward commissioners were also present on the occasion.