NDMC budget: Plans to switch to EV vehicles, no power purchase agreements with thermal plants

New Delhi, Jan 7 (PTI) Stopping purchase of petrol and diesel cars for its employees, entering into purchase agreements with only renewable power providers, setting up over 100 e-charging stations in its area, common payment portal for all its services and smart bus queue shelters, are among the proposals announced by the New Delhi Municipal Council in its budget for 2022-23.

Announcing its ambitious plans of shifting to a 100 per cent renewable energy municipal body of the country, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has not renewed its power purchase agreement with thermal power generating stations after its expiry. The civic body has also announced that it is taking up fresh purchase agreements with only renewable power providers, including hydel and solar energy.

"NDMC continues to take lead in pollution mitigation measures and has resolved to stop purchase of petrol or diesel based passenger cars and will acquire electric cars in future, converting its existing fleet too in a phased manner. NDMC has already introduced more than 60 e-charging stations in its area and is augmenting by more than 100 in this year itself," the civic body chairman Dharmendra said in his budget speech on Friday.

"A fleet of the e-scooter is planned to be deployed in this year complementing the smart bikes. Its cycle-in-city scheme is expected to put in place dedicated cycle tracks in facilitating office goers to cycle to work in a safe and enjoyable manner. To reduce the dust pollution, intensive tree washing is being continued.

"Mist sprayers have been deployed at central park with more coming up and mechanical road sweepers have proven to be very effective in mitigating dust in air. Green strips are being developed at a fast pace so that entire brown space is covered leaving little scope for dust pollution," he added.

NDMC is going to implement Pay-Gov common payment portal for all services of NDMC in FY 2022-23. Block-Chain based applications in areas of Birth and Death Registration, Estate and Property Tax will be completed by March 31.

"Providing electric connection to JJ Cluster in left out jhuggis work is in the pre-tendering stage and is likely to be taken up during the 2022-23 financial year. Two fault locating vans for detecting the fault of feeders are in process and the fault locating vans are likely to be procured by June, 2022," he said.

In the education sector, the NDMC has plans to set up one nature based class room in its 10 NDMC and cycling club in five schools.

"The total receipts of the budget estimates (BE) 2022-23 are Rs 4,381.43 crore against Rs 3,814.30 crore provided in Revised Estimate (RE) 2021-22. The actual receipts in 2020-21 were Rs 3,915.79 crore. The BE 2022-23 for the revenue receipts are Rs 3,842.78 crore against Rs 3,336.45 crore provided in RE 2021-22 and actual of Rs 3,126.44 crore in 2020-21," he said.

"The BE 2022-23 for capital receipts are Rs 538.64 crore against Rs 477.85 crore provided in RE 2021-22 and actual of Rs 789.35 crore in 2020-21. The total expenditure for BE 2022-23 are Rs 4,202.48 crore against Rs 3,678.45 crore provided in RE 2021-22 and actual of Rs 3,236.70 crore in 2020-21.

"The BE for revenue expenditure in 2022-23 are Rs 3,525.82 crore against 3,276.37 crore provided in RE 2021-22 and actual of Rs 3,061.07 crore in 2020-21. The capital expenditure is projected at Rs 676.65 crore in BE 2022-23 against Rs 402.09 crore in RE 2021-22 and actual of Rs 175.63 crore in 2020-21," he added.