Bharateeya Janata Party Greater Hyderabad President B. Venkat Reddy accused the Telangana State Government of indiscriminate increase and forcible collection of property tax.
At a press conference here on Friday, Mr.Reddy criticized the GHMC of working solely with the aim to increase its revenue, while totally ignoring civic amenities. The party will lay siege to GHMC head office on May 15, against forcible collection of property tax and corruption among officials, he informed.
He alleged that the corporation was extorting money from footpath sellers and small shopkeepers too, considering them as commercial establishments. While showing Rs.650 crore as surplus budget, the GHMC has deprived the Water Board and Libraries of their due cess amounting to 25 per cent and 8 per cent respectively, he alleged.
To HMDA alone, the corporation owed Rs.500 crore, he claimed. He questioned the Government’s announcements about two lakh houses, even while 11 lakh applications are pending with the GHMC under the Rajiv Swagruha, Rajiv Gruhakalpa and Indiramma schemes.
Though one lakh jobs were promised, not even one job is given so far. Nala desilting works are not being carried anywhere. While criticizing Government for postponing the GHMC elections till High Court’s intervention, Mr. Reddy also warned it against unduly favouring the MIM during delimitation exercise ahead of the elections.
The party’s state vice-president Venkata Ramani questioned the removal of slab system in collection of taxes, and the policy to spend for each circle, the taxes collected in the same circle.
