ULBs to spend 25% on slum development in Odisha

BHUBHANESHWAR: The Government of Odisha on July 15 directed all urban local bodies of the state to spend 25 per cent of their budgetary allocation on the development of slum areas. Sangramjit Nayak, Director (Municipal Administration), Government of Odisha, wrote letters to the authorities of all 114 ULBs in the state. In the letter, it has been said that the government has made an amendment in the Odisha Municipal Act, 1950 and Odisha Municipal Corporation Act, 2003. These amendments make it mandatory for all ULBs to spend a sum of 25 per cent of the amount under capital expenditure relating to development work of annual budget for providing basic service and infrastructure to slums.

Nayak has asked all the ULBs through the letter to take the amendment into account while preparing their annual budget. He said that it is mandatory to spend 25 per cent of the budget in the slum areas to provide basic services and infrastructure along with other ongoing schemes.