No new hope for residents

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) yesterday announced its budget for 2014-2015 fiscal without proposing any major improvement in services and infrastructural development, while allocations shrank in some key areas, particularly in waste management.
In the Tk 1,565.75 crore budget, there was also a little increase in the allocation for maintenance and development of roads and traffic infrastructures--by only Tk 12.5 crore to Tk 191.75 crore--though most of the city streets are in a dilapidated condition crying for immediate repairs.
Unveiling the budget at Nagar Bhaban, DSCC Administrator Ibrahim Hossain Khan said that with its existing capacity, the corporation could not cater to a huge city population.
"The agency's annual management cost has increased to Tk 330 crore while its revenues add up to Tk 597 crore. That's why this small revenue can't help achieve the development desired by the city dwellers."
The budget kept Tk 150 crore each for road and drainage system development in Kamrangirchar and for development of Dhaka-Demra road, Dhaka-Narayanganj road and Chittagong Road.
About Tk 150 crore was allocated for development of roads, drains and footpaths in Jurain area and at places adjoining Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover.
In the waste management sector, the allocation has drastically dropped from Tk 3 crore to only Tk 50 lakh. However, the administrator said seven secondary transfer stations for household waste would be built this fiscal with funds from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
For development programmes, the DSCC will rely more on funds from government and donor agencies.
The DSCC expects to receive Tk 763.99 crore as government grants, foreign finances and private sector investments, while the total development budget is Tk 1,165.33 crore.