The decision of the Delhi Government to increase the circle rates of properties by around 20 per cent have been met by criticism from political parties. While the Congress demanded an immediate roll back of the rates, the Aam Aadmi Party termed the decision “in absence of a popularly elected State Government as a suspect move, which was certainly avoidable”.
“The Bharatiya Janata Party had promised to bring good days. But it is now scheming to keep out the poor and the middle class from Delhi with this steep increase in the circle rates. This decision will not boost the revenue collection of the government, but it will definitely prevent the poor people from owning a house in Delhi,” said Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh.
‘Strange timing’The Aam Aadmi Party asserted that the Delhi administration, which is controlled by the BJP’s Central Government, has chosen a strange timing to impose an additional burden on the common buyers and it is taking undue advantage of its lack of accountability to push such decisions.
“The Lieutenant-Governor and the Revenue Department need to tell the people of Delhi what is the reason behind such a steep hike in circle rates at this time, when the Delhi Development Authority has announced its biggest-ever housing scheme of 25,000 flats, which will be allotted shortly. Won’t this decision burden the new flat buyers? On what basis have the market rates been fixed? Isn’t the Delhi administration giving rise to speculative property prices, which will only end up burdening the common man?” the party statement said.
The party demanded the department concerned to make public whether any public consultation was carried out before the upward revision of property circle rates.
