Deccan Herald 30.01.2014
Palike reduces betterment charges
Council on Wednesday reduced betterment charges from Rs 250 to Rs 200
per sq mtr in 100 core wards of the City and from Rs 350 to Rs 250 per
sq mtr in the remaining 98 wards, irrespective of the dimension of the
plot. The decision was taken on corporators’ request.
On
January 28, the Palike had fixed the betterment charge at Rs 350 per sq
mtr for plots measuring up to 1,000 sq mtr and Rs 300 per sq mtr for
plots measuring more than 1,000 sq mtr. The civic body had decided to
collect betterment charge as part of a plan to regularise revenue sites
converted for non-agricultural purpose and issue them ‘A’ Khatas.
The
corporators welcomed the reduced rates and said the decision would ease
the burden on citizens. Commissioner M Lakshminarayana said that an
affidavit would be submitted to the court within a week about the
revised rates.
legally converted lands and authorised buildings. “This move is similar
to the Akrama Sakrama scheme. Unauthorised buildings and illegally
converted plots will not be eligible for ‘A’ Khatas. Those will be dealt
under the Akrama Sakrama scheme.”
Corporators of the ruling
party pointed out that even the Kharab (waste) lands were being issued
Khatas. Those should instead be handed over to the BBMP, they demanded.
Since 2003, many houses built in non-approved layouts are enjoying the
amenities without paying any betterment charges, they added.
Lakshminarayana
clarified: “All the converted sites, and houses which have not flouted
any building bylaws, including vacant and open sites, will come under
the purview of betterment charges.”
‘Hire 4K workers’
Congress
corporators staged a dharna during the Council meeting, demanding the
immediate recruitment of 4,000 sanitation workers.
“The Palike
has not bothered to recruit sanitation workers, despite a government
order,” said Congress corporator, T Mallesh. “In addition, the services
of 18,000 contract sanitation workers are to be regularised.” Mayor B S
Satyanarayana and Lakshminarayana assured the corporators that a meeting
workers would be held on Friday.
