The Hindu 15.09.2010
Rosaiah to look into property tax hike
Staff Reporter
| GVMC team led by Mayor meets Chief Minister and Municipal Administration Minister |
We have done our best, says Mayor
Decision expected in a short time, says TDP floor leader
VISAKHAPATNAM: Chief Minister K. Rosaiah on Tuesday evening assured a delegation led by Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation Mayor P. Janardhana Rao that he would look into their plea for a rollback of the increased property tax.
“The Chief Minister had given us a patient hearing and said he would take a decision after discussing the issue with officials,” the Mayor told this correspondent from Hyderabad.
When told about the opposition to the property tax hike, Mr. Rosaiah said he was aware of the situation. Tribal Welfare Minister P. Balaraju was present.
‘Positive response'
The Mayor led the delegation of floor leaders from the city after a prolonged agitation by the opposition parties which said the hike ranged from 100 per cent to 400 per cent and termed it abnormal. “We have done whatever we could do and the rest is in the State Government's hands,” Mr. Janardhana Rao added. The delegation also met Municipal Administration Minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy who also responded positively.
TDP floor leader Ch.V. Pattabhiram said the Chief Minister responded well when the situation was explained to him.
The leaders brought to his notice that when the GO limiting the tax hike to a certain percentage were issued during the regime of K. Vijayabhaskar Reddy and Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy he was the Finance Minister.
The Chief Minister said that in view of a large delegation comprising so many representative he would consider their plea.
The MA&UD Minister was also quite responsive and assured the delegation that a decision would be arrived at after discussions with them. “We expect a decision in a short time,” Mr. Pattabhi said.
The delegation included MLA and city Congress president Tyanala Vijay Kumar, PRP MLAs M. Srinivasa Rao and Ch. Venkatramaiah, TDP district president Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu, MLA V. Ramakrishnababu, urban president Peela Srinivasa Rao and deputy floor leader Palla Srinivasa Rao, Congress floor leader Behera Bhaskara Rao, Deputy floor leader K. Hanoku and CPI floor leader A.J. Stalin. The CPI(M) stayed away from the visit.
