SMC panel clears budget for 2013-14

The standing committee of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) cleared its Rs 3,714 crore budget for the year 2013-14. Initially, a draft budget of Rs 3,549 crore was presented by the municipal commissioner with an additional tax proposal of Rs 133.48 crore. However, the standing committee, comprising 12 BJP members, proposed tax cuts worth Rs 25 crore and increased the size of the budget by Rs 165 crore. Congress leader Babu Rayka proposed further tax cuts to the tune of Rs 40 crore and said that the budget was unrealistic. The Congress has just 14 members in the house of 114 and hence its cut motion is likely to be defeated.