Assam: GMC allocates Rs 40 lakh per ward, focuses on water, roads, sanitation

Guwahati: The Assam Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) has reported revenue collections of Rs 80–85 crore this fiscal year and allocated Rs 40 lakh per ward for local infrastructure and civic improvements, officials said on Monday.

The funds will support initiatives such as road repairs, street lighting, water supply upgrades, and sanitation projects across the city.

The 2025–26 development plan aims to make Guwahati cleaner, better organised, and more citizen-friendly, with stronger public participation and stricter compliance in municipal services.

As part of its revenue reforms, the GMC is pushing for the regularisation of trade licences. Of the 50,000-plus businesses registered under the Corporation, nearly 12,000 still lack valid licences, while around 25,000 have not renewed theirs.

Last year, GMC collected Rs 27 crore in trade licence fees, but many business owners continue to operate without compliance.

Officials have urged traders to update licences through the GMC online portal, warning that habitual defaulters could face cancellation of their licences.

The GMC has made “considerable progress” in property tax recovery. Out of 1.6 lakh holdings, around 1.1 lakh property owners have paid their dues. Against a Rs 130 crore target for 2024–25, collections have reached Rs 80–85 crore.

To encourage timely payment, GMC will offer 5–10% discounts to early payers, while defaulters delaying payments by two to three years could face fines of up to 20%. Officials stressed that citizen cooperation is vital to sustaining urban development.

The GMC has allocated Rs 40 lakh to each councillor for ward-level infrastructure projects, including road repairs and civic upgrades. The Corporation has already built four large public restrooms in each ward and aims to complete 200 citywide by 2025–26.

Additional allocations include Rs 10 lakh per ward for new streetlights and another Rs 10 lakh for installing small high-mast lights at public spaces, including 13 cremation grounds.

GMC has launched a three-month action plan to strengthen core amenities such as road quality, street lighting, water supply, and waste management.

Officials confirmed that the GMC has made 60–70% of the water supply network operational and will complete work in the remaining wards soon.

To promote community ownership, GMC will introduce a ward-level competition titled “Clean Guwahati, My Guwahati”. Officials have urged residents to keep segregated waste ready for pickup and actively participate in Wednesday’s dry-waste collection drives.

Under the Sahajeevan Project, GMC has launched a pet maintenance mobile app, integrating animal care with municipal services. Discussions under the Swachh Guwahati Abhiyan aim to complete all sanitation initiatives within three months.

To prevent artificial flooding, GMC has cleaned 451 drains and will target 555 more drains and five rivers. The GMC has deployed seven new super-sucker vehicles to bolster sanitation efforts.

To enforce transparency, the GMC will withhold all new building permits without occupancy certificates and will hold a special compliance camp from December 1 to 31 to streamline approvals and ensure regulatory adherence.

Officials further said that the Corporation will continue to preserve Guwahati’s ecological balance, partnering with organisations like Indian Oil Corporation to advance sustainability initiatives. All ongoing projects are expected to be completed by January 2026.

To enforce transparency, the GMC will not issue any new building permits without occupancy certificates. The Corporation will hold a special compliance camp from December 1 to 31 to streamline approvals and ensure adherence to municipal regulations.

With a multi-pronged approach combining fiscal discipline, civic participation, infrastructure upgrades, and environmental initiatives, the Guwahati Municipal Corporation aims to give the city a cleaner, more organised, and citizen-friendly face in 2025–26.