LUCKNOW, March 23 -- Prioritising revenue augmentation, infrastructure development and improved civic services, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) passed a total budget of Rs.4,692.71 crore for the financial year 2026-27 on Sunday, including Rs.3,293.35 crore under revenue, capital and other heads. Major allocations include Rs.300 crore for solid waste management, Rs.271 crore for road repairs and Rs.255 crore for sanitation, including cleaning of drains, roads, and public spaces. A key highlight is the proposed introduction of point of sale (Pos) machine-based tax payments across 110 wards with cashback incentives and rebates on early payment. Aiming for the top spot in Swachh Survekshan, the LMC is also prioritising green initiatives like Miyawaki forests and pond rejuvenation, besides expanding sanitation infrastructure. The House also approved the revised budget for 2025-26 with total income estimated at Rs.3,392.24 crore, which rises to Rs.4,791.60 crore after including the opening balance. The total expenditure stands at Rs.3,391.41 crore, leaving a closing balance of Rs.1,400.19 crore. Executive vice-chairperson Charanjeet Gandhi presented the 2026-27 budget in the presence of mayor Sushma Kharkwal, municipal commissioner Gaurav Kumar, corporators and senior officials. The LMC has recorded an increase in revenue collection across multiple heads. House tax collection alone reached Rs.517 crore, marking an increase of Rs.105.35 crore compared to the previous financial year. A major highlight was the recovery of Rs.35 crore as a lump sum house tax from court premises, which officials described as the highest single recovery so far. User charges generated Rs.28.52 crore, up by Rs.9.70 crore, while advertisement revenue rose sharply to Rs.16.16 crore, registering an increase of Rs.9.48 crore. Similarly, rental income stood at Rs.4.52 crore, parking revenue reached Rs.4.32 crore, and licence fees contributed Rs.4.82 crore, all showing steady growth over last year. Officials said these trends indicate a robust improvement in the corporation's financial health. The total projected income under revenue, capital, and other heads stands at Rs.3,293.35 crore, while the total estimated income, including the opening balance is Rs.4,692.71 crore. The corporation has proposed an expenditure of Rs.3,292.93 crore, leaving an expected closing balance of Rs.1,399.77 crore. The LMC will roll out PoS machines in all 110 wards from the new financial year. Citizens will be able to pay house tax and user charges digitally at ward-level points. The corporation has also introduced incentives to encourage timely payments. Residents paying taxes online in April, May, and June will receive rebates of 10%, 8%, and 5% respectively. Offline payments will attract slightly lower discounts. In addition, payments made through PoS machines will come with cashback offers facilitated by Paytm, aiming to promote digital transactions and increase compliance. The corporation has earmarked Rs.271 crore for road repair and maintenance, focusing on fixing damaged stretches and improving key routes across the city. Streetlighting will see an allocation of Rs.42.55 crore. Solid waste management has been given a major boost with a provision of Rs.300 crore, while Rs.255 crore has been set aside for sanitation operations, including cleaning of drains, roads, and public spaces. Building on its third rank in Swachh Survekshan 2024-25, the LMC has set its sights on securing the top position in the upcoming rankings. The budget includes provisions for expanding sanitation infrastructure, constructing toilets, and running awareness campaigns under the Swachh Bharat Mission. The corporation has also planned a wide range of development works across all 110 wards. These include road repairs, drainage cleaning, beautification of parks, development of Miyawaki forests, installation of open gyms, and establishment of new vending zones. Additionally, waste transfer stations, school upgradation projects, anganwadi centres, women's hostels, and sports complexes have been proposed to strengthen urban infrastructure and social services. The corporation will develop model vending zones to organise street vendors and ease traffic congestion. Plans are also in place to build public libraries, urban plazas, and hi-tech nurseries, along with senior citizen care centres. Major intersections across the city will undergo beautification to enhance the city's visual appeal. The LMC will also construct a new zonal office and headquarters building in the Chakbast area, while continuing efforts to upgrade municipal schools and expand educational infrastructure. The corporation has proposed the development of green spaces and Miyawaki forests. Park beautification projects will be undertaken to increase green cover and improve urban ecology. Under the AMRUT scheme, several water bodies-including Prem, Radha, Birura, Chinhat Malhaur ponds and Haivatmau lake-will be rejuvenated. These projects aim to promote water conservation while enhancing the city's landscape. The water works (Jalkal) department presented its budget alongside the municipal budget, projecting an income of Rs.487.23 crore and expenditure of Rs.483.45 crore, resulting in a surplus of Rs.3.78 crore. The department plans to expand water supply and sewer networks in new colonies while improving revenue collection through online billing systems. It has also taken over sewer management responsibilities in select areas to improve service delivery....