The Hindu : New Delhi News : "Village houses be kept out of tax net"

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Nov 30, 2006
ePaper

New Delhi

New Delhi

"Village houses be kept out of tax net"

Staff Reporter

MCD resolution seeks no tax relief for farmhouse owners and commercial properties

NEW DELHI: The Standing Committee of the Congress-ruled Municipal Corporation of Delhi on Wednesday passed a resolution to keep the residential property owners in rural and urban villages out of the property tax net. However, no tax relief has been sought for farmhouse owners and those owning commercial properties in more than 200 rural and urban villages across the Capital.

Tabling a resolution in the Standing Committee meeting, Leader of House Jitender Kochar said people who own residential properties should not be charged any property tax. He, however, favoured taxing farmhouse owners heavily so that more revenue could be generated for development work.

He also said no relief should be given to those engaged in commercial activities in rural and urban villages. "By taxing farmhouse and commercial property owners we can compensate for revenue loss incurred by taxing villagers," he added.

However, the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party has blamed the ruling Congress for this "fiasco".

"During our rule in 2001, we had passed a resolution in MCD House exempting all rural properties from property tax. But when the unit area method for property tax collection was implemented during the Congress rule in 2004, MCD also included properties falling in rural and urban villages. Now under the new law, MCD cannot give any exemption in property tax. The power now lay with the Centre. What the Congress has done today was just a political gimmick aimed at befooling voters," charged Leader of Opposition Subhash Ayra.

After getting passed in the MCD House, the civic body would forward the proposal to the Delhi Government that after okaying it would place it before the Centre for final clearance.

Similar proposal

Interestingly, last year also MCD had unsuccessfully tried to get clearance from the Delhi Government for a similar proposal that included commercial properties in rural areas.Meanwhile, Municipal Commissioner A. K. Nigam has clarified that people living in rural and urban villages in the Capital do not require a formal approval from the civic body in the form of building plan before starting any construction activity.

However, they should strictly stick to the building bye-laws as applicable to other areas and locations of the city. Those violating laid norms would be severely dealt with, he added.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

New Delhi