Dhaka South City Corporation yesterday announced Tk 6,751.56 crore as its annual budget for the fiscal 2023-24, allocating Tk 46.75 crore (0.69 percent of the total budget) for mosquito control activities.

Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh announced the budget at a press conference at Mayor Hanif auditorium.

The current year's budget allocates Tk 38.50 crore (Tk 9.18 crore more than the previous year) for the purchase of mosquito medicines used in mosquito control activities and Tk 3.75 crore (up by Tk 2 crore) for the transportation sector, related to foggers, wheels, and sprays.

 An additional Tk 4.5 crore has been allocated for the purchase of mosquito equipment.

The current year's budget allocates Tk 38.50 crore for the purchase of mosquito medicines in mosquito control activities and Tk 3.75 crore for the transportation sector, related to foggers, wheels, and sprays. An additional Tk 4.5 crore has been allocated for the purchase of mosquito equipment.

Apart from the mosquito control efforts, the budget also designates Tk 30 crore for cleaning canals, water bodies, and sewers.

Taposh said, "Mosquito proliferation, especially Aedes, has been a significant challenge for Dhaka dwellers. DSCC has implemented a year-long integrated mosquito control programme, which includes recruiting adequate manpower, ensuring the availability of quality pesticides, and providing necessary equipment at the field level."

Over the past three years, DSCC has acquired 375 new fogger machines and 25 new wheel machines under Culex mosquito control efforts, he said.

Taposh said, "DSCC collected more than Tk 1,031.97 crore in revenue for the first time last year. We aim to collect Tk 1,396.85 crore as revenue this time.

Highlighting that holding tax contributed the most to last year's revenue (Tk 347.23 crore), Taposh said, "DSCC aims to collect Tk 512.00 crore as holding tax this year."

DSCC Chief Executive Officer Mizanur Rahman, councillors, divisional heads of corporations, and regional officials were present at the event.