New Delhi   

Congress, BJP lock horns

NEW DELHI: Demanding exemption from property tax in respect of residential self-occupied properties occupied by their legal heirs in village “abadi”, the Congress councillors led by Leader of Opposition in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi Jai Kishan Sharma staged a dharna at Town Hall on Monday and disrupted the proceedings of the House.

Explaining the reasons for his demand, Mr. Sharma said there were joint families in villages and they required residential area in the same proportion. “They also require plenty of space to keep their animals like cows, buffalos and to store their fodder besides space to keep agriculture equipments and garage for tractor among other things,” he added.

Mr. Sharma emphasised that since this was the only source of their income, the residential self-occupied properties occupied by their legal heirs in village abadi be totally exempted from property tax.

However, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led MCD clarified its stand stating that it had no plans of imposing property tax in rural areas.

“The Congress is wrongly blaming the BJP for being ‘anti-poor’ on its property tax policy for village abadis as the proposal to impose property tax in rural areas was passed by the Delhi Assembly in 2004 when the Delhi Municipal Act was amended,” said MCD Standing Committee chairman Vijender Gupta.

“After the proposal reached the MCD, the Municipal Commissioner asked it to be reconsidered and after it was presented in the House meeting on Monday we have resolved to fully exempt property tax in respect of residential self-occupied properties occupied by their legal heirs situated in village abadi. We plan to forward this resolution to the Ministry of Home Affairs to bring about an amendment to the DMC Act,” he added.

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