Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL) is allocating a budget of RM2.72 billion in providing urban services and governance for the prosperity of about 1.7 million city dwellers.

The budget, with the theme 'Bright, Safe and Prosperous Kuala Lumpur' (Kuala Lumpur Ceria, Makmur Sejahtera), was tabled by Mayor Mhd Amin Nordin Abd Aziz in Kuala Lumpur today.

Mhd Amin said the 2016 DBKL Budget was a balanced budget based on City Hall's capacity in funding operational and development expenditure, despite the uncertain economic situation currently.

"After considering the main factor in providing the best service to city dwellers, the budget prepared is not merely to implement operational programs and activities but also continuity to the 2015 development projects in the public interest, particularly the Kuala Lumpur residents," he said.

The KL 2016 Budget stresses on 14 main activities namely the Management and Administration Programmes; City Cleanliness Programmes; Greening, Park, Open Space and Recreational Facilities Maintenance Programmes; Road and Drain Maintenance Programmes; Street Lights and Traffic System Facility Maintenance Programmes; Car Park, Bus Terminals and Pedestrian Walkways.

In addition, it also covers Building Maintenance, Upgrading and Renovation Programmes; Hawkers and Petty Traders Programmes; Enforcement Programmes, Public Housing Programmes; Health Programmes; Community Development Programmes; Cultural, Arts and Sports Programmes; and finally Tourism Programmes.

Out of the allocation of RM2.72 billion, a sum of RM1.72 billion was for 'Operational Expenditure' and RM997 million for 'Development Expenditure'.

Mhd Amin said the 2016 Budget also continued the agenda of the DBKL strategic plan which outlined five main strategic framework such as Urban Dweller-Owned City, Economically Prospered City, Screened City, Eco City, and Efficiently Governed City.

He added that via the 2016 Budget, DBKL was also expected to earn RM2.29 billion in revenue compared with RM2.08 billion last year, an increase of 10.32 percent, where assessment rates would form the bulk of the revenue contributing 44.8 percent of the total DBKL income.

- Bernama