HDMC presents ₹19 crore surplus budget for 2025-26

The Hubballi Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) has presented and passed a surplus budget of ₹19 crore for the financial year 2025-26. This budget totals ₹1,512.67 crore, an increase from last year's budget of ₹1,491.75 crore. Chandrashekhar Managundi, the chairman of the Standing Committee on Taxation, Finance, and Appeal, outlined five key initiatives. These include increasing revenue through a property survey, installing LED street lights, improving waste collection, ensuring 24-hour drinking water supply, and enhancing basic infrastructure. The budget forecasts revenue receipts of ₹1,512.67 crore, with ₹694 crore expected from state and central grants. The HDMC aims to collect ₹303 crore from taxes, mainly property tax. Non-tax revenue is estimated at ₹296 crore, with plans to earn ₹200 crore from property monetization. Of the ₹1,493.60 crore expenditure, 65% is allocated for capital projects. This includes ₹170 crore for roads and drainage, and ₹152 crore under the Mahatma Gandhi Nagar Vikasa Yojana. A new health insurance plan, 'Arogya Raksha', for councillors, civic workers, and media personnel has been included in the budget, with an allocation of ₹75 lakh. The budget also expects ₹25 crore from the AMRUT scheme for lake development. During the budget presentation, Congress members protested against comments made by BJP members, demanding the removal of certain words from the record. Despite the uproar, the Mayor confirmed the budget had passed.