The BMC standing committee, on Wednesday, rejected the proposal to increase the beautification cess of residential properties in the city by 5 per cent. The BMC collects a beautification cess of Rs 6,000 from residential properties and housing societies that have landscape installations like artificial ponds and fountains on their premises. Also, a one-time deposit amount of Rs 20,000 is paid by such buildings.
On August 4, the BMC tabled a proposal to increase the annual rate to Rs 6,300 and deposit amount to Rs 21,000. However, the proposal was deferred last week.
“The BMC has many ways to earn revenue without burdening Mumbaikars. This is not the right time to increase tax, considering the ongoing financial slowdown caused due to the pandemic,” said Ravi Raja, senior Congress corporator and Opposition leader. “The proposal of hiking the tax rates is not justified. We will not allow any increase in any tax until the financial situation across the country is revived,” said Vinod Mishra, senior corporator and group leader of the BJP.
Meanwhile, the BMC has also withdrawn a proposal of giving partial exemption in property tax to ex- servicemen of the Indian army. Earlier, the BJP had demanded that instead of giving partial exemption, the BMC administration should give full relaxation to ex-servicemen.
“The July 31 judgement of the High Court has said that the standing committee’s decision of allowing only partial relaxation is illegal and contradictory the actual proposition of the state. The BMC has realised that and they had taken back the proposal from the agenda during the meeting on Wednesday,” said Bhalchandra Shirsat, senior BJP corporator.
“We will be revising the proposal and table it again in front of the committee for its approval,” said a senior official.
