BJP rejects property tax hike, slashes charges by 75%

SURAT: The standing committee of Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) on Wednesday rejected the property tax hike proposed by the civic body administration for the year 2018-19, besides slashing hikes proposed in various charges by almost 75%.
The committee comprising of all ruling BJP members turned down the Rs 207 crore property tax hike and slashed the proposed Rs 330 crore user charges to Rs 107 crore.
Against the total proposed tax hike of Rs 543 crore, the ruling BJP approved only Rs 107 crore user charge increase. It also brought down the capital budget from Rs 2,406 crore to Rs 2,138 crore reducing Rs 268 crore from capital projects.
As a result, a 100 sqm house owner in Vesu, who last year paid Rs 3,120 as property taxes and user charge will now have pay up Rs 3,500-Rs 3,600 against the Rs 6,300 as proposed in the draft budget by the SMC administration.
Rajesh Desai, chairman of the SMC standing committee, told TOI, “We have tried to give people-oriented budget and taken care that people are not burdened with taxes. We will be concentrating on basic infrastructure facilities and ensure that implementation is on time and in a proper manner.”
Under BJP rule, over the last one decade, capital works worth Rs 12,000 crore have been undertaken while the city’s population has shot up from 41 lakh in 2008-9 to 57 lakh in 2017-18. The number of households has also increased to 18 lakh from 12.5 lakh during the same period.
“At present, operation and maintenance expenses of the projects in the city is about Rs 1,200 crore per annum but we will try and bring it down to Rs 800 crore,” claimed Desai.
BJP also announced continuation of rebate on advance tax payment. People who pay full advance tax will be given 15% rebate in April and 10% in May. Further, 10% rebate for senior citizens will also continue.
Now, the budget with cuts and amendments will be put up before SMC general board for final approval. In 116-strong board, BJP has 79 councillors while opposition Congress has 36. One elected BJP councillor has extended support to the Congress.