I did justice to all divisions of GHMC: Majid Hussain

Hyderabad, Dec 3 (INN): On the last day of his office as Mayor of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Mohammed Majid Hussain on Wednesday claimed that he kept his promise of doing justice to all the 150 divisions.

Addressing his final press conference as the GHMC Mayor, Majid Hussain said that he had promised to ensure the development of civic infrastructure in the core city (erstwhile MCH) as well as the other areas (the extended area that covers erstwhile 12 municipalities) on top priority.

"In furtherance of this objective, we had earmarked Rs 1 crore each for every corporator ward in the GHMC budgets for 2012-13 and 2013-14 and we have also enhanced the corporator budget to Rs 1.5 crore per division in core areas and Rs 2 crore per division in peripheral areas for taking up works identified by the respective corporators in the current financial year 2014-15," he said.

Majid Hussain said that during his 35-month tenure, the GHMC has grown from strength to strength. "Our achievements during this period are many as I strove to transform the GHMC into a truly metropolitan civic body with focus on the development of its civic infrastructure and welfare of its residents," he said.

"We have also stuck to our promise of augmenting the GHMC's revenues without adding to the tax burden of the residents. Further, we have taken a decision in the Standing Committee to waive off property tax on the individual residential houses up to Rs 4,000 per annum to benefit the lower and middle class households residing in GHMC and the matter is under the consideration of the Telangana Government," Majid Hussain said adding that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao would take a favourable decision in this regard.

Majid Hussain, who presented GHMC budgets for three financial years 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15, said that the corporation's income has gone up from Rs 1,370.35 crore in 2011-12 to Rs Rs 1,8,40.53 crore in 2012-13 and Rs 2,212.94 crore in the year 2013-14. The capital receipts have increased from Rs 458.19 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 611.32 crore in 2012-13 and Rs 420.50 crore in 2013-14.

The total revenues of the GHMC have risen from Rs 1,828.54 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 2,451.85 crore in 2012-13 and Rs 2,633.44 crore, indicating a growth of Rs 804.90 crore or 44.02 per cent in two years. The total expenditures of the GHMC increased from Rs 1,668.28 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 1,879.23 crore in 2012-13 and Rs 2,402.03 crore in 2013-14, indicating a growth of Rs 733.75 crore or 43.93 per cent in two years, he said.

"The GHMC's revenues from Property Tax alone have increased from Rs 600.11 crore in 2011-12 to Rs 776.19 crore in 2012-13 to Rs 1023.44 crore in 2013-14 and in current financial year, a target of Rs 1,395 crore has been set without increasing the tax rate," he said.

Majid Hussain also listed other achievements of GHMC accomplished during his 35-year tenure. He thanked MIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi for entrusting him the key position of Mayor at a very young age. He also thanked the GHMC Corporators and officials for their cooperation. "I also express my deepest gratitude to the citizens of Greater Hyderabad and wish them all the best," he said.