KMC to revamp water supply

The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has decided to revamp the existing water supply system in the city at a cost of Rs 200 crore. It was likely to be funded through debt.

KMC was close to being self-sufficient financially and was likely to eliminate budgetary support from the state government this year.

KMC was looking at a Rs 850 crore budget this year. KMC would reduce property tax on domestic by 10 per cent and 15 per cent on commercial property this year.

"KMC is talking to the state as well as the central government for for necessary permissions. KMC has entered into talks with banks and financial institutions for funding a portion of the project through debt. We would also be talking to foreign funding agencies, for the purpose," Subrata Mukherjee, mayor of Kolkata and head of KMC told the media at an interactive session organised by the Merchant's Chamber of Commerce.

Water supply in the city was adequate but urgently required revamping owing o huge underground leaks which made supplies unreliable in some areas. KMC will soon inaugurate a 100 million gallon of water treatment plant for water supply.

The Mayor also mentioned that a new dumping ground would be formed besides the existing one at EM Bypass which would also have a waste treatment plant.

KMC has very recently revalued its entire assets which stood close to Rs 7,000 crore on the basis of which it has already raised Rs 300 crore of debt from financial institutions.

Talking on the issue of corruption, Mukherjee said, "We are trying to bring down the level of corruption at KMC. We have been successful to some extent but we know that there are areas which needs to be addressed".

KMC at present employs around 36,000 people without any principal and culture and the Corporation administration was isolated, negligent and idle work force.

"We are trying to reorganise the workforce and restore some sort of culture. The Corporation has legacy of recruiting people with no work to suit Mayor's or member councils' interest with no specific work, which the present Mayor wants to close.

Talking on self sufficiency of KMC, he said the problem was not finance but lack of strong political will.