The Vijayawada Citizens Forum will launch an agitation to mount pressure on the State government to release dues to the Vijayawada Municipal Corporation (VMC).
Addressing a press conference here on Thursday, Forum convener M.V. Anjaneyulu said that a memorandum would be submitted to Municipal Commissioner G S Pandadas on revenue resources. The Corporation would have to concentrate on other revenue resources instead of burdening the common man. The VMC would have received more than Rs.1200 crore if the government released funds duly following the recommendations of the Finance Commissions. The government was also not releasing the VMC’s share in professional tax, motor vehicle tax. The government lowered the registration values due to Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) programme conditionalities. Consequently, the revenue of VMC had come down drastically. The government should compensate the fall in revenue, he said, adding, necessary measures to recover the dues from top 100 defaulters like Railway should be taken up.
The Forum would also write letters to state government to allocate 40 percent funds in the budget to local bodies, he said.
