The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

The Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) will not impose fresh tax on the citizens other than inserting new holdings in the records of the corporation.

Acting Mayor of the city corporation Alhajj M Monjur Alam told this while addressing the budget session at the auditorium of Chittagong Theater Institute this afternoon.

"Road communications, repair, reconstruction, excavation of drain and canals, education, health and hygiene are the areas received highest attention in the proposed budget," the acting mayor said adding that approximately 23643 non-concrete dwelling structures of the city were relieved from the holding tax.

He placed the proposed budget of approximately Taka 6221 million before the session mainly attended by the ward commissioners of the corporation, public officials and the news workers.

Of the proposed budget of Taka 6221 million, approximately Taka 4720 million will be accumulated from the corporation's own sources while Taka 1500 million is expected as development grants from the central government.

The corporation has allocated Taka 3770 million for different development projects with focus on eradicating waterlogging and nearly Taka 1370 million for operation and maintenance to be implemented over the coming financial year.

Acting Mayor said that the corporation would be focusing on repairing of damaged roads, excavation of drains, canals and other basic infrastructures.

The amended budget of the previous fiscal (2007-2008) was also discussed and approved at the budget session.

The acting mayor put emphasis on building strong internal resource base and reduces dependence on external grants. In this regard he urged the corporation officials to engage fresh efforts in realizing the Taka 3430 million pending taxes.

Terming education as the precondition of overall development, the acting mayor said more than 575 educational institutions were functioning under the direct supervision of the corporation. The institutions included university, IT institute, degree colleges, higher secondary-level colleges, senior schools, elementary schools, non-formal education centers and Madrasas.

"The corporation has taken up five new projects timely implementation of which might change overall scenario of the port city," the Mayor said.

Taka 1910 million infrastructure development, drainage and environment improvement, Taka 1000 million concrete road construction, Taka 250 million Rajakhali road & canal digging and Taka 250 million garbage treatment projects are among the projects undertaken for the coming fiscal.