The Hindu : Councillors oppose new taxes, want more funds

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 15, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Councillors oppose new taxes, want more funds

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 14. The Standing Committee of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi today concluded its deliberations on the annual budget of the civic body, with almost all its members rejecting the new tax proposals of the Municipal Commissioner, Rakesh Mehta, and demanding a substantial increase in the Councillor's fund.

Based on the views and recommendations of the Chairmen of various MCD Committees and 12 Zones of the civic body, the Standing Committee Chairman, Mukesh Goel, would finalise and pass the budget on Thursday, following which he would present it before the House for approval.

During their discussions on the annual budget proposals of Mr. Mehta for the year 2004-2005, speakers opposed the imposition of any new taxes and instead insisted that the MCD should concentrate more on optimisation of its resources.

"Instead of imposing heavy burden on the residents of the Capital and collect about Rs. 260 crores, there is an urgent need to increase its efficiency in collecting revenue from existing sources and better financial management,'' said the Congress Councillor from Chandni Chowk, Braj Mohan Sharma, at the Standing Committee meeting today.

He claimed that the civic body could generate an additional of Rs. 300 crores per annum, by streamlining its parking system, collecting a part of huge arrears from the erstwhile Delhi Vidyut Board, enforcement of misuse policy, commercial exploitation of its vacant plots across the city and early implementation of its new advertisement policy.

The Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee, Ashok Jain, highlighted the achievements of the Congress-ruled civic body during the past 22 months. Be it the implementation of the people-friendly Unit Area System of house tax, which would eliminate inspector-raj, or improvement in the cleanliness, there has been all round development of the Capital during the Congress regime, he said.

Councillors from the rural areas demanded an increase in fund allocation for the rural areas, which they alleged, had declined in past few years. "Rural areas are never given priority by the officials sitting at Town Hal. Roads are in a very bad shape. Streetlights are non-functional. Primary health facilities are only name shake,'' complained the Narela Zone Chairman, Aruna. The Rural Areas Committee, Harphool Singh, demanded at least three-fold increase in budgetary allocation for the rural areas.

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