Budget Report 2024-25
Engandiyur Grama Panchayat
Budget 2024-25 – Summary
Opening Balance: ₹10,01,706/- (Rupees 10 Lakhs 1 Thousand 706), Expected Receipts: ₹41,79,35,387/- (Rupees 41 Crores 79 Lakhs Thirty-Five Thousand 387), Expected Expenditure: ₹41,72,04,387/- (Rupees 41 Crores 72 Lakhs Four Thousand 387) : Surplus: ₹17,32,706/- (Rupees 17 Lakhs Thirty-Two Thousand 706)
Receipts
Following the property tax revision effective from 01/04/2023, there has been an increase in property tax and permit fees; consequently, a massive increase in revenue is expected next year. Total tax revenue is estimated at ₹97 Lakhs. Under this, ₹76 Lakhs is expected from property tax and ₹21 Lakhs from profession tax. Non-tax revenue is estimated to exceed ₹70 Lakhs. A general purpose grant of ₹1.64 Crores for the own fund will be available from the Government.
Expenditure
It is estimated that around ₹3.04 Crores per year will be required to meet the Panchayat's increasing and essential obligations, such as water, electricity, vehicles, wages, computer maintenance, salaries, and honorariums. It is anticipated that ₹22.69 Crores will be available for project expenditures, and around ₹9.50 Crores will be available for non-project expenditures, including the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (welfare pensions, literacy programs, departmental funds, etc.).
Key Focus Areas in the Budget
Water Supply and Conservation
The highest emphasis in this region's budget must be placed on providing clean drinking water. Water distribution will be under the Water Authority. Our foremost responsibility is to ensure complete cooperation with the ongoing Jal Jeevan Mission of the Grama Panchayat to guarantee piped drinking water to every household at the earliest. Although it was stated that this work would be completed by 2024, any delay will lead to a loss of public trust. An amount of ₹21 Lakhs has been allocated in the budget to remit the institutional share of the project.
Beyond this, the conservation and recharging of groundwater must be viewed as a sustainable measure. To raise the water table, rainwater harvesting systems and watershed-based land development programs need to be carried out continuously. An amount of ₹6 Lakhs has been allocated in the annual plan for well recharging.
A recommendation has been submitted to construct a well and a tank on the land currently held by the Water Authority in Thirumangalam. An expenditure of approximately ₹6 Crores is expected for this. Having a tank will play a very significant role in resolving the drinking water scarcity in the area.
Near the Tribal Department's Pre-Matric Hostel, a block-owned plot remains after the highway was carved out. Once a tank is constructed there, it will be immensely helpful for drinking water distribution in that locality.
The Nattika Firka Drinking Water Project has been recommended by the Jal Jeevan Mission. Once commissioned, it will enable the required distribution of drinking water.
If the 10 cents of land belonging to the PWD Budmas category at Pulikkakadavu is utilized, the Pulikkakadavu Small-Scale Drinking Water Project can be realized. Efforts are being made to get the land released from the PWD (Bridges) for this purpose.
Irrigation and Salinity Control
Much like drinking water, because saltwater or brackish water enters the irrigation sources during certain seasons, it leads to widespread crop destruction. Furthermore, since this also contaminates the remaining drinking water sources, the drinking water scarcity becomes severe during that period. An amount of ₹3 Lakhs has been set aside for the maintenance of public sluice gates (cheepukal).
To prevent the intrusion of saltwater, a modern fiber bund system should be introduced to enable the systematic building and opening of bunds at regular intervals in affected areas. This will be initiated on an experimental basis within the current year itself.
In the 16th Ward, if about 150 meters of the Kallathodu stream is protected, saltwater intrusion can be prevented. A recommendation for this will be sent to higher authorities.
An estimate of ₹1 Crore 48 Lakhs has been submitted for the protection of the Chettuva Canal from Muttukayal to Mampullikavu Temple. If implemented, it will successfully eliminate the threat of saltwater. Protecting the Kannan Thodu stream in Wards 6, 8, and 9 is another factor to avoid the saltwater threat.
As part of conserving ponds under the Devaswom, a recommendation is put forward to protect and clean the pond at Mampullikavu Temple for a drinking water project. Although there are numerous procedural steps involved, it is deemed a necessary measure to implement.
Removing sand and silt from the Chettuva River to restore its flow is an essential factor. To prevent saltwater intrusion, the flow must be brought back to its original state. A ₹50 Lakh project by the District Panchayat is currently in its initial stages.
Many of the proposals mentioned here cannot be resolved by the Grama Panchayat alone. Nevertheless, the Panchayat will intervene and bring them to the attention of the respective departments.
Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS)
The Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme is the largest source of funds that the Grama Panchayat can spend subject to specific conditions. By strictly adhering to guidelines, funds can be spent on soil and water conservation, flood mitigation, creation of individual assets, and infrastructure development to successfully increase employment days. An amount of ₹11.28 Crores has been allocated for this for the year. Within this, ₹4.64 Crores has been earmarked in the action plan for soil and water conservation and land development activities. If these are utilized effectively to create systems that retain rainwater, the water scarcity can be resolved to a certain extent.
Productive Sector
An allocation of ₹1.03 Crores has been made for the productive sector in the budget. This ensures that the Engandiyur Grama Panchayat remains committed to understanding and addressing the needs of farmers. The Panchayat has decided to execute soil and water conservation works worth ₹4.64 Crores under the Employment Guarantee Scheme. The budget underlines the Panchayat's firm resolve to conserve biodiversity and minimize the environmental impact of development as part of the Haritha Keralam Mission.
To protect the agricultural sector devastated by floods and heavy rains, an adequate fund of ₹38 Lakhs has been allocated to promote coconut farming and organic vegetable cultivation. For the animal husbandry sector, funds have been allocated for cattle feed distribution, calf care, milk distribution subsidy, vaccinations to protect against stray dogs, cages to house them during observation periods, promotion of poultry farming, and medicines for animals. Recognizing the needs of farmers, it has been decided to distribute seeds, fertilizers, and lime at the Panchayat level for coconut and vegetable farming.
The Panchayat is dedicated to rescuing poor farmers from debt traps and distress. Projects have also been formulated to provide subsidies to those measuring milk at dairy cooperatives, laptops for the children of fishermen, fish tanks, banana cultivation, areca nut cultivation, nutritional gardens, and nurseries.
In the sports development of the Grama Panchayat, a playground plays a massive role. Currently, the lack of a ground under the ownership of the Panchayat stands as an obstacle to athletic excellence. The search for a playground will be intensified.
Service Sector
A sum of ₹13 Crores has been set aside in the budget for the service sector. This time, the Panchayat is allocating ₹10 Crores for housing construction (LIFE Mission) and ₹76 Lakhs for women and child welfare programs, including Anganwadi nutrition. The budget extends comprehensive support towards gender equality for the upliftment of women, prioritizing gender justice and poverty alleviation—which are becoming indispensable in administration—by setting aside the required funds for this purpose.
The Panchayat has set aside ₹10 Lakhs for elderly care and the palliative care project. The budget has also successfully allocated ₹31 Lakhs for children and persons with disabilities. To counter the commercial interests of private educational institutions, the governing body has decided to give significant encouragement to public education facilities as well as cultural and artistic activities. Engandiyur Grama Panchayat attaches great importance to sanitation. An amount of ₹1.35 Crores has been earmarked for the health, drinking water, and sanitation sectors. The Panchayat has also included ₹9.50 Lakhs in its annual plan to renovate all Anganwadis to make them child-friendly.
The Panchayat places immense importance on the upliftment of marginalized communities. An amount of ₹26.50 Lakhs has been allocated targeting the Scheduled Caste (SC) care package and their comprehensive development. Welfare of the elderly, the destitute, and persons with disabilities has also been given importance in the budget. Moreover, numerous projects are intended for the development of marginalized sections through the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and Kudumbashree projects. The Panchayat has resolved to handhold and uplift these sections into the mainstream by providing land to the landless, house construction, house renovation, and livelihoods.
An amount of ₹20 Lakhs is allocated for improving public administration, ₹11 Lakhs for improving electrification, and ₹2.50 Lakhs for computer maintenance.
Infrastructure Development
Over the past two years, as a result of the Jal Jeevan Mission project activities, the Grama Panchayat has been unable to make significant investments in the infrastructure sector. The most precise reflection of this is the decrease in road maintenance expenditure. The entire work of tearing up roads to lay large pipelines for the Jal Jeevan Mission activities has not been fully completed. Although over ₹10 Crores was earmarked in the second phase of the project estimate to transfer road restoration funds to the Grama Panchayat, there is a delay in getting it sanctioned.
The restoration funds for the 2024-25 project year must be spent accurately. Along with this, culverts, drains, and facilities for water to flow away from both sides of the roads must be constructed in required areas to make the transport system effective in the future. Along with the restoration work, ₹5.75 Crores is allocated for maintenance works. An additional ₹84 Lakhs is allocated for the expansion and repair of public buildings. Alongside this, the Grama Panchayat must move in tandem with revolutionary changes in the field of waste management. Furthermore, we are passing through a phase where higher amounts need to be allocated in the productive and service sectors.
The governing body also intends to test new perspectives for the comprehensive development of the people. This project document, formulated to conduct welfare and development activities by holding all sections of the people together, is respectfully submitted for your discussions, advice, and suggestions.
Presented by: Shri. Harshavardhanan Kakkanaat, Vice President, Engandiyur Grama Panchayat