Exempt unauthorised colonies from tax: Civic body councilors
Recently, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had released a notification asking property owners in its area, including those living in unauthorised colonies, to deposit property taxes as soon as possible. Taking strong exception of the issue, the councillors on Wednesday passed a resolution saying that the notification should be lifted and unauthorised colonies and villages exempted from the tax. Sarita Choudhary, a councillor from the Opposition, pointed out that it was unfair of the civic body to levy taxes in areas where it has not been able to provide basic civic amenities. The issue created an uproar at the Standing Committee meeting with several councillors of the ruling BJP objecting to it. They were also supported by Opposition Congress members, including Leader of Opposition J K Sharma.
They submitted a memorandum stating that unauthorised colonies have a lot of problems with regard to electricity, water, roads, sanitation and sewerage, and so they should not be required to pay any tax. Sharma told reporters that people residing in unauthorised colonies sometimes depend on the money they collect by renting out rooms. “They have too many problems as it is, and the MCD should not add to them,” he said. After nearly half-an-hour of squabbling, the meeting was adjourned without any agenda being taken up. MCD officials, however, maintained that as per regulations, the owners of such properties are liable to pay property tax.
As the money generated from property tax is the biggest source of income for the civic body, it has started surveying their properties. Earlier, the civic body had simplified its property tax forms to make the process more user-friendly.
