GVMC approves ₹4,180 crore budget for 2026-27, engineering, health, water supply given priority

GVMC approves a ₹4,180 crore budget for 2026-27, focusing on engineering, public health, and infrastructure development.

The Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Council on Tuesday approved a budget of ₹4,180 crore for the 2026–27 financial year. The budget was passed during a special council meeting held at the GVMC office, attended by corporators of various parties.

Amid much speculation, corporators of the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) attended the meeting and participated in the discussions. Mayor Peela Srinivasa Rao formally presented and read out the budget in the presence of the council members. After detailed deliberations, the council approved the budget, barring a few objections and suggestions raised by members. It may be recalled that the budget had already received approval from the Standing Committee in December 2025.

According to the Mayor, the highest allocation in the budget has been earmarked for engineering works, amounting to ₹1,028 crore. Public health has been allocated ₹455 crore, while expenditure under the AMRUT scheme stands at ₹363 crore. Water supply works have been allotted ₹260 crore, and street lighting received ₹129 crore. Allocations have also been made under various other heads to meet the growing infrastructure and civic needs of the city, he said.

Mayor P. Srinivasa Rao stated that the budget was prepared keeping in view the city’s rapid development and increasing population. He said that the administration had made considerable efforts to ensure realistic planning by consulting officials from different departments. The Mayor added that the budget aims to strengthen basic infrastructure, improve public health services, and enhance overall civic amenities in the city.

GVMC Commissioner Ketan Garg said that the corporation made a conscious effort to present a budget that was closer to actual figures and more transparent. He maintained that the focus was on realistic projections and accountable governance.

However, CPI(M) corporator Ganga Rao criticised the budget, alleging that the corporation was following the directions of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He claimed that the GVMC spends crores of rupees on programmes organised by the state government in Visakhapatnam, but the promised reimbursements are never received.