North MCD rolls back hike on factory, trade licences

Traders in categories A and B will now have to pay a yearly trade licence fee of Rs 500 instead of Rs 3,450. Similarly, traders in C and D categories will pay Rs 500 instead of Rs 2,300.

The decision was taken during the house meeting Thursday. Standing committee head of the North MCD Jogi Ram Jain said the increased rates have been rolled back and people can now get a licence for three years renewed in one go.

“For the past few days, several traders had contacted me regarding this,” he added.

As the civic body elections approach and with the Aam Aadmi Party mounting pressure, this is the second time the civic body has had to roll back its increased taxes. Earlier, the three MCDs had to revoke the increase in sanitation charges along with factory licence, trade licence, and commercial property tax.

Senior officials in the civic body said it was a catch-22 situation for the ruling BJP as, on one hand, it is finding it difficult to pay salaries due to a budget deficit and on the other, has to take populist measures.

According to budget estimates presented this year, the liabilities have increased to Rs 7,523.97 crore from last year’s Rs 6,176.32 crore.

There have been multiple strikes by nurses, doctors, teachers, and staff over non-payment of salary in the past five years.

Leader of opposition in the North MCD Vikas Goel said the BJP is yet to give any such rebate and it shows the roll-back was concocted.

On the property tax waiver, Jain said though the executive wing is delaying it, it would be approved soon. “They have to give an answer in court as the corporation is financially unsound. But since we have announced it, we would execute it,” he said.