MYSORE,: Minister for Municipal Administration and Wakf Qamarul Islam on Monday expressed dissatisfaction over the poor revenue collection by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the State. The recovery of water bill dues, property tax and rentals from the ULBs’ properties was unsatisfactory, he said.
Rental and other revenue dues in Hassan district had touched Rs. 5 crore. Likewise, there are dues to the tune of Rs. 1 crore in other districts, he said.
Expressing displeasure over the revenue collection, Mr. Islam said officers concerned had been directed to expedite revenue collection, including rental dues from shops and other properties owned by the ULBs. Even the collection/renewal of trade licence fee was unsatisfactory, he told reporters here, after presiding over a meeting of officials from the Mysore division here.
Revenue collection by the ULBs in the eight districts of Mysore division was also discouraging, he said.
The Minister said revenue from water distribution was poor and no action had been taken on illegal water connections.
Mr. Islam said the ULBs have under-utilised the potential of earning revenue from leasing out space for advertisements in their jurisdictions. The ULBs must think of improving earnings through leasing out of its space.
Mr. Islam said Rs. 140 crore had been set aside this year for the distribution of scholarships to 10 lakh pre-matric students belonging to minorities.
Likewise, Rs. 60 crore had been earmarked for scholarships of 1.15 lakh post-matric students of the minority communities. The allocation for the scholarships to students belonging to minorities had been increased by the Siddaramaiah government, he claimed.
The Minister said that 23 candidates belonging to minority communities, whose training for civil services examination was funded by his department, had cleared the preliminary examination.
Bidaai scheme
The Minister said Rs. 20 crore had been set aside for the Bidaai scheme, which offers financial assistance for wedding expenses to poor minorities. Last year, the allocation was Rs. 5 crore, he said, adding that each family received Rs. 50,000 under the scheme.
He said the Telangana government had replicated the Bidaai scheme in its State, renaming it ‘Shadi Mubarak’.
Earlier, the Minister held a meeting with the officials from his department belonging to eight districts of Mysore division. Regional Commissioner Rashmi V., Deputy Commissioner C. Shikha, Municipal Administration Director N. Manjula and other officers were present.
