After chief minister Uddhav Thackeray announced the decision to waive property tax on houses measuring up to 500 square feet within the limits of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), political leaders cutting across party lines have started demanding a similar relief for citizens in the twin-city of Mira Bhayandar.
“It’s our humble request to the state government authorities to extend similar tax waiver benefits to other civic bodies falling in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR) which will provide much-needed relief to the middle and low-income group who are the worst affected section due to the Covid-19 pandemic,” appealed Senior Congress leader Muzaffar Hussain.
Nationalist Congress Party leader Dr. Asif Shaikh echoed similar views while seeking implementation of property tax waiver in the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC) limits. “I am very hopeful and confident that the MVA-led government will extend the scheme to Mira-Bhayandar and other cities in the MMR,” he said.
On the other hand BJP’s deputy mayor in the MBMC Hasmukh Gehot has accused the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for meting out step-motherly treatment to other civic bodies, especially MBMC, which had been denied 50 percent relaxation in property tax, in view of the hardships faced by citizens due to the pandemic induced lockdown last year.
“We had passed a resolution seeking government nod for facilitating 50 percent discount in property tax, however we never got an answer. At least now the state government should extend the tax waiver scheme for Mira-Bhayandar. I have already written to the chief minister and guardian minister in this context,” said BJP leader and MBMC’s leader of house Prashant Dalvi.
