Patna Municipal Corporation Greenlights Rs 3,043-Crore Budget for 2026-27
The Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has officially approved a substantial budget of Rs 3,043 crore for the fiscal year 2026-27 during a special board meeting held on Saturday. This financial plan projects an impressive surplus of Rs 456 crore, driven by anticipated higher revenues and strategic fund mobilisation through municipal bonds and enhanced tax collections.
Budget Details and Funding Sources
The newly passed budget marks an increase of Rs 189 crore compared to the previous year's outlay of Rs 2,854 crore. Of the total budget, significant contributions include Rs 702.02 crore from the Central government and Rs 1,095 crore from the state government. The PMC aims to generate Rs 608 crore from its own resources, with the remaining funds to be sourced from municipal bonds and various tax revenues.
Presided over by Mayor Sita Sahu, the meeting approved a comprehensive financial roadmap that prioritises 24 key projects aligned with the state government's seven resolves scheme. Based on current estimates, the corporation projects total receipts to reach Rs 3,499 crore for the fiscal year.
Major Infrastructure and Development Initiatives
Municipal Commissioner Yashpal Meena highlighted several critical projects outlined in the budget. A flagship initiative is the Rs 514-crore integrated solid waste management system, scheduled to become operational by the end of 2028. For this project, 23 acres of land at Ramachak Bairiya have already been cleared.
Other significant urban development projects include the redevelopment of New Market near Patna Junction into a G+3 shopping complex, aimed at removing encroachments. To finance such initiatives, the PMC plans to issue municipal bonds worth Rs 200 crore in April, positioning it as the first municipal body in Bihar to undertake such a financial instrument.
Infrastructure-related proposals feature the installation of button-operated pedestrian traffic signals near the Patna Zoo and 82,000 IoT-enabled street lights that automatically adjust to natural light levels. Waste management plans encompass six garbage transfer stations with a combined daily capacity of 500 tonnes, along with a 15-megawatt waste-to-energy plant at Ramachak Bairiya.
Social and Digital Initiatives
The budget also allocates funds for various social and digital initiatives, including the expansion of the Pink Toilet campaign, installation of open gyms in 26 parks, and digitisation of birth and death certificates. Additionally, plans are in place to modernise traditional dhobi ghats, renovate electric crematoriums, and introduce a 'Swarg Rath' funeral transport service. Entry gates will be constructed at major access points, and new landscaping projects will be undertaken across the city.
Opposition and Financial Concerns
Despite the ambitious plans, the budget faced opposition during the session. Ward councillors Indradeep Chandravanshi and Ashish Sinha raised allegations of financial irregularities and data concealment. They specifically questioned a Rs 218-crore gap in salary funding and the inclusion of the defunct DAY-NULM scheme as a budget source.
Chandravanshi stated, "By planning expenditures far beyond the estimated income, the financial health of the corporation is being compromised." Despite demands for a high-level investigation into these alleged discrepancies, the meeting was concluded prematurely.
The meeting was attended by key officials including the municipal commissioner, the additional municipal commissioner, members of the standing committee, and ward councillors, reflecting broad participation in the budgetary process.
