The Hindu : New Delhi News : Congress MLAs oppose house tax in villages

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Dec 21, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Congress MLAs oppose house tax in villages

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, DEC 20. On a day of interesting developments, Congress MLAs today strongly opposed imposition of house tax in villages and demanded extension of the Capital's "Lal Dora" boundary. They also openly supported the resolution moved by the Nationalist Congress Party MLA, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, to provide civic amenities in the extended village "abadi" areas, a move that was even supported by the opposition Bharatiya Janta Party.

In another interesting development, 33 Congress MLAs have supported an amendment moved by Congress MLA, Mukesh Sharma, to the Municipal Corporation (Third Amendment) Bill, 2004, demanding that the words "rural or urban'' be inserted after the words "village abadi'' and also to delete the line in Section 115 of the Act: "subject to a maximum of two hundred square metres of covered space''.

Earlier, moving the resolution, Mr. Bidhuri accused the Sheila Dikshit Government of going back on the promises made to the people of rural areas and villages in its party manifesto. Questioning the intentions of the Delhi Government, Mr. Bidhuri said when it came to break-up of Municipal Corporation of Delhi, the Chief Minister conveniently quoted the party manifesto. However, when it came to the issue of exemption of house tax for villages, the Congress Government has forgotten the manifesto.

He said that from the 1998 Delhi Assembly polls and till the May 2004 Lok Sabha elections, the Congress manifesto had always promised waiver of house tax on villages, extension of Lal Dora and even declaring industrial villages where the number of such industries was more than 70 per cent.

Mr. Bidhuri said strong resentment prevails among the villagers against the Delhi Government. He alleged that the Government was not serious about any issue relating to the villagers and its officials take different stands before the courts. Giving an example, he said that with regard to the relocation of the dairies operating in various parts of the city, Mr.Bidhuri said that cattle were being detained and cowsheds dislocated in the name of illegal dairies. Unfortunately, the Delhi Government did not take a stand before the High Court.

He also deplored the failure of the Delhi Government in holding elections to the village panchayats. The present trend of closing down even small-scale units and shops in the name of closure of industries had only resulted in large- scale unemployment and will lead the people of villages towards crime. He also demanded that the Congress should fulfil the promise to extend Lal Dora and all such population and construction should be regularised.

Mr. Bidhuri was supported by a large umber of Congress MLAs including Mahabal Mishra, Charan Singh Kandera, Surinder Kumar, Bheesham Sharma and Balram Tanwar; and Ranbir Singh Kharab (Independent).

Replying to the debate, the Development Minister, Raj Kumar Chauhan said the Government was aware of the problems being faced by the people living in rural areas. He said that unprecedented developmental works had been done during the last six years of the Sheila Dikshit Government's rule and ridiculed the BJP for making false and baseless allegations. Mr. Chauhan informed that the Government was already taking action with regard to the issue raised by Mr. Bidhuri and Cabinet note was almost ready in this respect. He urged Mr. Bidhuri to withdraw the resolution, to which the latter obliged amid thumping of desks.

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