'REPORT ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY FOR THE YEAR 1903-1904' [‎83r] (53/112)

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1903-1904.]
MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION.
29 Chap. III.
PBOTECTIONT.
? year,
11 Act ' "> tlii
10. Municipal Administration-
For details see tlie Administration Report of the Municipal Commissioner for the City of Bombay for the year
1903-1904 and the Report on Municipal Taxation and Expenditure for the Bombay Presidency The name given to each of the three divisions of the territory of the East India Company, and later the British Raj, on the Indian subcontinent. including Sind for the
year 1903-1904, and tables under XVII.—Municipalities—appended to the Judicial and Administrative Statistics
of British India.
1.—Bombay Municipality.
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1. TRere were during the year 67 meetings of the Corporation, 55 of the Standing General.
Committee, 142 of Committees of the Corporation, and 65 of Sub-Committees of the Standing
Committee.
2. The revenue for the year amounted to Rs. 84,82,625 and the expenditure to Finance:
Rs. 84,31,389, the net result being a surplus of Rs. 51,235, which increased the closing balance ^ General *
to Rs. 23,00,702. The result was gratifying in view of the fact that the Budget Estimate
anticipated a deficit of Rs. 3,02,875.
3. As compared with the actual receipts of the previous year, there was an increase in (&) Income,
income of Rs. 3,06,937; of this Rs. 2,64,793 or 86*2 per cent, were obtained from Property
Taxes alone, owing to a careful revision of assessment of properties in the City on the lines of
valuations made for acquisitions by the City Improvement Trust. The rest of the increase
was principally derived from Wheel-tax, Tolls, and Market receipts. The income realised was
the highest ever received by the Municipality at the prevailing rates of taxation. A permanent
increase of over Rs. 4 lakhs One lakh is equal to one hundred thousand rupees in the principal sources of income is anticipated.
4. The expenditure amounted to Rs. 84,31,389, a net decrease of Rs. 22,008 on the (c) Expenditure,
figures of the previous year. Permanent increases are fairly counterbalanced by permanent
decreases with the exception of a permanent increase of Rs. 40,000 as interest on loans.
5. Expenditure on loan works increased by nearly one Kkh to Rs. 6,45,522, the increase (d) Loau
appearing entirely under water-works and sanitary and miscellaneous works. expenditure.
6. The outlay on plague measures amounted to Rs. 2,43,888 or Rs. 12,497 more than in (e) Plague
the previous year, the increase being solely due to certain arrear recoveries having been made expenditure,
in 1902-1903. The expenditure on health camps and discretional relief which was met from
funds allotted by Grovernment for the purpose, amounted to Rs. 12,016 and Rs. 3,655
respectively.
7. A new loan of Rs. 3f Mkhs was raised and Rs. 1,10,404 were paid towards the reduction (/) Debt and
of debt. The total debt was thus Rs. 4,74,20,355. Against this the Sinking Fund was raised sink mg fund,
to Rs. 46,95,890 by the investment of Rs. 5,73,101 during the year.
8. A special officer was appointed to overhaul the stores and stores accounts. The total (^) stores,
value of the stores was found to be Rs. 7,17,252, of which 56 per cent, are surplus or obsolete
stores, which will be disposed of as opportunities occur. Measures have been taken to prevent
any future accumulation of useless stores.
9. The rates of taxation continued the same except that the duty on Ghee was raised from Taxation.
8 annas to 10 annas per mannd, after being reduced in the previous year. The incidence of
taxation per head of population rose from Rs. 9-1-11 to Rs. 9-6-1.
10. Rs. 83,846 were spent on new works. The total expenditure on the Engineers Public works,
Department, including drainage, water-works, lighting and street improvements 'was
Rs. 15,81,915, or nearly Rs. 80,000 more than in the previous year. Rs. 1,25,719 were spent
in adding 3,789 square yards of ground to streets. Road metalling cost Rs. 2,80,379, the
average rate per square foot being 4-75 pies. 93 insanitary bouses and sheds were demolished
by the Municipality, while 176 houses for which improvement notices were served were
demolished by the owners.
11. The rainfall at the Tansa, Yehar and Tulsi lakes was much heavier than in the Water-supply,
previous year, being at each place over 100 inches. At the end of the year the total number
of water-connections was 20,833 and the number of meters in use 3,208.
12. The estimated damage to property by fires was Rs. 10,94,563. There were 92 calls Fire-brigade,
of fire, of which 14 proved false alarms.
13. The state of the public health was worse than in the previous year. Deaths numbered Public health*
50,513, or 2,099 more than in 1902-1903. Plague deaths numbered 20,788 against 13,820 and
deaths from small-pox 1,477 against 288. The ten Municipal Dispensaries treated 84,886 cases
against 78,728.
14. The number of Municipal schools remained at 86 and that of pupils was 7,115 or a Education,
decrease of 8 pupils only. Aided schools were 94 with 8,449 pupils against 97 with 8,615.
The total grant-in-aid to aided schools was Rs. 23,863. The Government grant to the Munici
pality for education was raised to Rs. 72,768 from October 1903, but the Municipality did
not see their way to raise the amount of their contribution above Rs. 80,000, and, as they are
bound to contribute such a sum as added to the fees would be equal to double the Government
grant or to forfeit the extra amount of the grant, payment was only made at the old rate, i. e,
Rs. 42,666.