The Hindu 05.06.2012
Parks, property tax figure in South Delhi municipality meeting
It may have started with a squabble on which official
sits where at the Civic Centre on Minto Road, but the South Delhi
Municipal Corporation’s second house meeting on Monday ended with
discussions over the maintenance of parks and methods to collect
property tax under its jurisdiction.
SDMC’s Leader of
Opposition Farhad Suri pointed to the lapse in collecting house tax
from several properties that lie within the Corporation’s limits. “House
tax is the biggest revenue generator but collections have reduced over
the years,” he said, adding that dishonoured cheques have also been a
point of concern in collecting revenue. “Technology should be used in
collection of tax where handheld devices can measure the size of the
property and it can transmit the information to the officials at the
property tax department,” said Mr. Suri.
He also
pointed out that the Corporation is not receiving property tax or
service charges from Central and State Government properties such as
from the Northern Railway and Postal Department. “Since costs of
rendering civic services are increasing each year, the Corporation has
to raise revenue from internal sources,” he added.
The
Councillors called for measures to make a list of properties that do
not fall under the tax net and expressed views that property tax should
not be collected from unauthorised colonies. “Urban villages should be
exempted from house tax,” said a Councillor. “The forms that need to be
filled in by the common man should be user-friendly and should not give
rise to confusions,” said another one.
In addition,
Councillors across party lines, highlighted the poor state of parks that
fall under their wards and the lack of basic infrastructure necessary
for their upkeep. “More trucks are required to clear the garden waste,
there are a shortage of gardeners to work in the parks and trees and
bushes require pruning,” said a BJP Councillor from Hauz Khas. “A
distinction should also be made between parks with grass and playgrounds
for children to play cricket. This way, trees are not affected,” she
added.
