Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister P. Narayana has said that no municipal tax has been hiked in the State in the past four years and whatever enhancements made are due to plugging of leakages in the form of under-assessments through GIS mapping.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a review meeting with chairpersons, commissioners and chief engineers of Grade-III municipalities and Nagara Panchayats here on Tuesday, Mr. Narayana said some people were rumouring about the hike in taxes but there was no such imposition.
“Not even a single paisa has been imposed (in the form of hike) in taxes. But some people have resorted to under-assessment by cheating the government. If they have an area of 2,000 square feet, tax for only 1,000 square feet area is being paid. With the help of GIS mapping we are identifying all such under-assessments,” he said.
“The increase in tax revenue after the new government took over is because we are able to plug all the leakages. People should responsibly come forward and pay taxes in full,” he added.
Infra development
About development works in the Nagara Panchayats and Grade-III local bodies, Mr. Narayana said the department was poised to develop critical infrastructure including roads, parks and street lights at a cost ₹12,500 crore in the coming one-and-a-half years.
Also, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank had sanctioned ₹3,500 crore loan as an external aid for drinking water solutions in all local bodies, he said.
“There is a need for six lakh water tap connections in the State and the department is planning to issue all connections by October. While a normal property owner needs to pay ₹7,000 for a connection, BPL owners can pay just ₹200,” he said.
The Minister warned local bodies of losing funds if they failed to get rid of silt in drains within 15 days. “Removal of silt in drains is a high priority task as the accumulated silt causes not just blockage of sewage flow but also helps mosquitoes breed and causes diseases,” he said.
About housing projects, Mr. Narayana said that five lakh houses would be handed over to beneficiaries by March 2019 in the State.
Anna Canteens were going to come up in local bodies with a population of less than one lakh also, Mr. Narayana said.
