A ruckus erupted at the North Delhi Municipal Corporation’s monthly meeting on Thursday with Opposition leaders alleging that the BJP-led civic body had “failed to implement the tax waiver for houses measuring up to 50 square metres”.
The North civic body had approved a proposal to waive property tax for houses measuring up to 50 square metres in approved colonies, rural areas and unauthorised colonies. The move was aimed to benefit three lakh property owners.
Congress councillor Mukesh Goel said, “We were told that a preamble would be brought forward regarding the waiver but nothing of the sort has been done. If they can make the announcement, then they should stick by it.”
Leader of Opposition from the Aam Aadmi Party, Vikas Goel, said that it was evident how the BJP “has been misleading the people of Delhi”.
“They (BJP) had also put up hoardings all over Delhi congratulating this move. However, it pains me to inform you that in the House today, the Mayor himself, as well as the Commissioner, have admitted that no such proposal has been made,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh said he was “waiting for the Commissioner’s approval” to issue a notification regarding the tax waiver.
“We are currently in talks with the South and East civic bodies in order for them to implement the waiver as well. We want the three civic bodies to implement the tax waiver as a Diwali gift for the people of Delhi. The North civic body will issue a notification on the waiver in the next 10 days,” Mr. Singh said.
South Delhi Municipal Corporation Mayor Mukesh Suryan agreed that it would be “a unified decision”.
However, North corporation Commissioner Sanjay Goel said that the decision would be taken only after examining the “impact of the waiver on revenues”.
“We have already announced an amnesty scheme for all the unauthorised colonies, unauthorised regularised colonies, and abadi areas. This was announced despite our property tax revenues taking a hit. Whenever any tax concession is given, it has an impact on revenues. So, we have to see the pros and cons of the tax waiver for houses measuring up to 50 square metres,” Mr. Goel said.
He added that the North civic body had also approved a proposal to exempt all owners of commercial properties in unauthorised colonies from paying property tax that was pending over the past years — the owners would have to pay property tax for the current and previous financial year only.
