India’s Richest Civic Body Will Now Track Mumbai’s Happiness Index

Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, India’s richest civic body, unveiled a budget of Rs 33,441 crore for 2020-21.

On 4 February, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the country’s richest civic body, unveiled a budget of Rs 33,441 crore for 2020-21.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

On 4 February, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), the country's richest civic body, unveiled a budget of Rs 33,441 crore for 2020-21.

The total budget estimates for the next financial year are 8.95% more than the previous fiscal, when it had presented a budget of Rs 30,692 crore.

Among the measures announced in the BMC’s budget is the plan to track how Mumbai is performing on the Happiness Index.

Key Takeaways

Here are the other key takeaways from the BMC’s budget.

• The Budget has set aside Rs 800 crore for major repairs on 47 bridges and minor repairs on 184 bridges. This is a 131% rise from last year’s allocation. The allocation assumes significance in light of the Himalaya bridge collapse in March 2019.
  
• The Budget proposes to increase the lease, rent and premiums of all vacant land tenancy properties, which include several gymkhanas and clubs in the city.
  
• BMC has allocated Rs 2 crore for Kasturba Hospital to to equip the hospital and increase preparedness for tackling the coronavirus outbreak.

Happiness Index on BMC Agenda

Here are some of the other measures proposed by the BMC in their budget.