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BJP to ask for 50% waiver in tax, water bills

Nagpur: Mayor Sandip Joshi has convened a meeting on August 12 to consider waiving 50% property tax and water bills for the current financial year. The mayor called the meeting following a demand from the citizens to give concession in water and property tax bills as their earnings were reduced during pandemic.

Ruling party leader and senior BJP corporator Sandip Jadhav demanded Nagpur Municipal Corporation should not carry out annual 5% increase in water tariff this year as it would burden the already distressed citizens. “If no decision is taken within three days, all 108 BJP corporators will stage agitation in front of the commissioner's office from August 13,” Jadhav warned.

NMC’s revenue through its own sources is negligible. The current year’s revenue from property tax was pegged at Rs275 crore (including arrears, the dues have reached Rs900 crore), said an official from the department. The target of the water works department for the current financial year is around Rs240 crore.

Recently, municipal commissioner Tukaram Mundhe had told media persons the civic body could not waive or offer instalment to the citizens on property tax and water bills. He also stated the question not increasing 5% water tax this year lay with the state government. The civic administration could not decide in this regard as the rates were being revised every year under bylaws passed by the general body and okayed by the state government.

Jadhav alleged the civic chief had ignored the order passed by the mayor not to hike the water tax this year and even the standing committee had sent back the administration’s proposal in this regard.

Jadhav also blamed Congress MLA and guardian minister Nitin Raut for increase in water tariff. “Raut should be held responsible for the additional burden on citizens for allowing Mundhe taking such decisions,” he said. He also wondered why Congress corporators remained silent over this issue.

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