In its second meeting held in a week, the State Cabinet on Friday cleared the proposal to exempt houses up to 500 square feet in Mumbai from property tax.
Apart from scrapping the Nanar oil refinery project, exemption in property tax was one of the demands made by the Shiv Sena before accepting the proposal of alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Chief Minister Devendra Fadanvis had said at a press conference while announcing the alliance that his party had accepted the proposal.
Friday’s decision, taken in probably the last cabinet meeting before the announcement of general polls and enforcement of the code of conduct, is seen as the saffron alliance’s effort to woo urban voters. It also comes in the backdrop of the promise made by Congress president Rahul Gandhi at his Mumbai rally to give 500 square feet houses under slum redevelopment projects.
Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray tweeted, “Promise Fulfilled! No property tax for homes upto 500 sq ft in Mumbai now!”
The Sena MLAs had raised the demand in the Assembly last year, but the decision was kept pending. Announcing the decision on Friday, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Girish Bapat said the proposal for the same had come from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation and the State Cabinet approved it.
The cabinet also cleared the decision extending concessions in taxes and fees to promote self-redevelopment of registered societies on government, semi-government, and private land.
The cabinet cleared 16 proposals, which also include launching a new scheme called Shahu, Phule, Ambedkar Scheduled Caste-Navbouddha ashram school scheme. Under this, ashram schools run by NGOs, which are not eligible for the Central funds, will get financial aid.