The Hindu 11.03.2013
GHMC sop for early birds
Citizens can not only look forward towards faster
execution of works by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC)
and also a five per cent rebate in property tax if paid before
April-end.
The Cabinet has cleared amendments to GHMC
Act including permitting intake of more than 2,600 personnel in key
wings such as town planning, engineering, sanitation and others few days
ago. The same is expected to put up for Assembly approval in the Budget
session.
The changes as suggested by a committee led
by former IAS officer B. Prasada Rao empowers the civic body to take up
works of up to five crore rupees through the general body from the
existing one crore rupees, standing committee to clear works of up to
Rs.2 crore, up from Rs.50 lakh. GHMC Commissioner too will have the
power to sanction works for up to Rs.50 lakh, up from Rs.20 lakh.
Council meetings too are now to be held every three months compulsorily
with minutes of the meeting to be ratified the same day.
It
should expedite at least official sanctions for various civic works
proposed as a government nod was a must for any work costing more than
Rs.50 lakh.
“It was also taking up to eight months to
get a government order issued. Then the tenders have to be called and
finalised before works are grounded which means more than a year before
any work is taken up,” pointed out senior officials.
The
latest amendments should also prevent indefinite postponement of the
general body on political grounds as it had happened recently when there
was a gap of eight months. It forced municipal authorities to request
the government to sanction the works pending the council approvals with
several projects were piling up.
Meanwhile, those
resorting to unauthorised constructions will have to brace up to pay
more property tax in fact 100 per cent more from the current 25 per cent
penalty. Tax will be 50 per cent more for buildings with more than 10
per cent deviation.
Five per cent rebate will be given to those who pay their property tax before April-end.
