Indore: Former mayor flays municipal tax hike, says will talk to chief minister

“Tax hike is unwarranted, especially at the times of Covid-19 crisis,” Malini Gaud said.

Former mayor Malini Gaud with Prime Minister Narendra Modi

File Photo

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Former Mayor and Indore-4 MLA Malini Gaud on Wednesday condemned increase in taxes for municipal services and said that she would talk to chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the issue.

“Tax hike is unwarranted, especially at the times of Covid-19 crisis,” she said. She stated that the bureaucrats ignored public representatives and arbitrarily hiked taxes and users charges.

“During my tenure as mayor, I never hiked tax yet had filled coffers of IMC. If there is will than there is way,” she said. She further said it is time to provide relief in municipal services to people during Covid-19 crisis. “I will talk the chief minister and request him to order for rollback,” she added.

While the city is reeling under server Covid-19 wave, Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) on Tuesday doubled water and garbage tax and rolled out new charges for sewerage. Besides, it made provision for collection of property tax as the collector’s guidelines.

Citing Madhya Pradesh Municipality Rules, the IMC introduced the new tax regime, which comes into force from April 1, 2021.

Public notice

In a public notice, municipal commissioner Pratibha Pal had stated that total expenditure in solid waste management was Rs 20483.24 lakh, in water supply services was Rs 30246.58 lakh and in sewerage works was Rs 2749.03 lakh in fiscal 2019-20.

“As income form user charges were very low in comparison to expenditure of these services, it has become necessary for increasing/changing the rates. Accordingly, IMC administrator approved a proposal, which was in accordance with MP Municipality (Consumer Charges for Water Supply, Sewerage and Solid Waste Management Services) Rules 2020, published on September 28 last year,” the public notice reads.

Water cess, which was Rs 200 per month, now has been increased to Rs 400 for residential connection of ½ inch. The charges for commercial and industrial connections have also been increased. Besides, citizens will now have to pay double the user charges for door-to-door garbage collection service. The charges vary from locality to locality based on its revenue record zone.

Collection charges for residential users have been fixed between Rs 180 and Rs 300, while for commercial establishments it has been fixed between Rs 200 and Rs 360.

IMC introduced charges for sewerage also. People whose properties are connected with sewerage lines will have to pay user charges. For residential users the charges have been fixed at Rs 240 per month whereas Rs 900 per month for commercial and Rs 1308 for per month for industrial. Fecal septage management charges are also to be collected. Where there is no sewerage lines, IMC will collect fecal septage management charge of Rs 160 from residential users.

Citing Madhya Pradesh Municipality (Determination of Taxable Property Value of Buildings and Lands) Rules, 2020, IMC also linked determination of taxable property value on the basis of percentage of difference received in the prevailing collector guidelines. Four slabs have been made for it. No tax up to Rs 6000, six per cent tax on taxable property value between Rs 6001 and 36000, 8 per cent on taxable property value between Rs 36001 and 60000 and 10 per cent on taxable property value between Rs 60001 and above.

Indore

Indore: Former mayor flays municipal tax hike, says will talk to chief minister

“Tax hike is unwarranted, especially at the times of Covid-19 crisis,” Malini Gaud said.

Also Read

No new taxes envisaged in Bhopal Municipal Corporation budget this year

Recent Stories

Alert! Random COVID-19 testing for flyers arriving in Delhi from states witnessing surge in cases

'Merely an eyewash': Devendra Fadnavis after MVA govt sets up panel to probe Param Bir Singh's allegations against Anil Deshmukh

COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Adityanath govt allows one-day vaccination leave for govt and private sector employees

Inside the Derek Chauvin trial: Here's what witnesses are saying about George Floyd's death

COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu: Partial lockdown extended till April end amid spike in cases

Free Press Journal

Indore

Indore: Former mayor flays municipal tax hike, says will talk to chief minister

“Tax hike is unwarranted, especially at the times of Covid-19 crisis,” Malini Gaud said.

Also Read

No new taxes envisaged in Bhopal Municipal Corporation budget this year

Recent Stories

Alert! Random COVID-19 testing for flyers arriving in Delhi from states witnessing surge in cases

'Merely an eyewash': Devendra Fadnavis after MVA govt sets up panel to probe Param Bir Singh's allegations against Anil Deshmukh

COVID-19 in Uttar Pradesh: Yogi Adityanath govt allows one-day vaccination leave for govt and private sector employees

Inside the Derek Chauvin trial: Here's what witnesses are saying about George Floyd's death

COVID-19 in Tamil Nadu: Partial lockdown extended till April end amid spike in cases

trending

Free Press Journal