Civic amenities, mosquito control focused in Dhaka North budget

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) placed a Tk5,269.45 crore budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, giving priority to enhancing public amenities, mosquito control, and improving the environment.

Besides, it also increases allocation for the city's waste management, construction of infrastructures,   maintenance and development of roads, and traffic-related infrastructures.

Dhaka North City mayor Atiqul Islam on Monday also placed a revised budget of Tk2,950.98 crore for the 2022-23 fiscal year.

In the budget, Dhaka North has allocated Tk50 crore to the maintenance and development of public amenities, which was 658% higher than the revised budget of the previous fiscal year.

It also fixed Tk770.70 crore for the maintenance and development of roads, and traffic-related infrastructures which is more 173% than in the last fiscal.

The city corporation also allocated Tk122.84 crore for mosquito control programmes which is 64% more than the last fiscal.

Besides, the allocation increased by 330% in construction, maintenance, and development of infrastructures while 142% in the preservation and development of the environment and 55% in social welfare, and 8% in waste management.

Dhaka North also allocated Tk20 crore for tree plantation, Tk10 crore for purchasing fire extinguishing equipment, Tk13 crore for the construction of secondary transfer stations of wastes, and Tk20 crore for climate change and disaster management.

Mayor Atiqul said, "We increased allocation with utmost importance on dengue control. There is also a provision in the budget for purchasing modern equipment for mosquito control. We are taking various steps. But public awareness is very important."

Dhaka North collects around Tk1,181cr revenue in FY23

In the last fiscal year of 2022-23, Dhaka North collected Tk1,180.90 crore revenue, which is a record since the inception of the city corporation. Of those, it earned the highest Tk550 crore from holding, cleaning, and lighting taxes.

Besides, property transfer tax was Tk300.89 crore, road cutting fees Tk125 crore, mobile tower fees Tk18.50 crore, and cattle haats Tk32 crore.

In its proposed budget, Dhaka North fixed a revenue income of Tk1,830.88 crore which is Tk649.98 crore more than the previous fiscal.

Mayor Atiq said the increase of revenue income is proof of the enhancement of capacity. I expect the income to increase this year due to holding tax, bazar salami, trade license, property transfer, and road cutting fees."

The mayor also said, "Online collection of holding tax and trade license fee has led to increase of revenue significantly. Expanding the range of online services to ensure transparency and accountability and public service. Smart parking and number plates with QR codes on rickshaws will also increase revenue."

If the holding assessment is done in the new wards, the household tax revenue will increase a lot in the future, he added.

Tk122.84cr earmarked to fight dengue menace

Dhaka North earmarked Tk122.84 crore or about 2.33% of its total budget on mosquito control to stage a renewed assault on the dengue menace.

Under the new allocation, Tk45 crore will be used to purchase insecticides, Tk30 crore on mosquito control activities through outsourcing, and Tk30 crore for the purchase of mosquito control equipment.

In addition, Tk7.34 crore is to be spent on cleanliness efforts and awareness building for dengue control.

As part of the effort to thwart mosquito-borne diseases, it will distribute one lakh books related to mosquito awareness to all primary educational institutions - including primary schools and madrasas – that fall under the purview of the city's northern part.

While unveiling, the cover of the book titled "Moshar Kamor Khotikor" (Mosquito bites are harmful) in the programme, Mayor Atiqul said, "We want to inform our children that mosquito bites are harmful so that they can be our superheroes fighting mosquitoes."

Meanwhile, Dhaka North signed a memorandum of understanding with Jahangirnagar University on Monday for research in controlling mosquito-borne diseases.

Under this agreement, the effectiveness of various insecticides in controlling mosquito-borne diseases, including dengue, mosquito density, and mosquito species will be tested in this lab.