THE Taxation and Tax Collection Committee of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) on Tuesday passed a resolution demanding waiver of property tax for property upto 500 sq.ft. in city. City fathers too joined the chorus demanding parity with Brihanmumbai Mumbai Corporation (BMC) where Maharashtra Government agreed to waive property tax for 500 sq.ft. properties. The announcement by Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray a few days back for properties in Mumbai city evoked similar demands with local ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) seeking similar concession for Nagpurians. Like BMC, property tax on property up to 500 sq.ft. coming under NMC should be waived, said the a resolution that was unanimously passed in the meeting ofTaxation andTax Collection Committee.

 

A special meeting of the Committee was held in the room of the Chairperson, Mahendra Dhanvijay, on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by Deputy Chairman Sunil Agarwal, Member Anil Gendre, Sanjay Burrewar, Member Visakha Mohod, Shital Kamade etc. Maharashtra State Government has taken an important decision to waive property tax on residential property within 500 square feet (46.46 square meters) of BMC area. This decision of the State Government is in the interest of the poor and should be implemented in Nagpur city as well. In run upto to next civic election populism has again taken the center stage to woo the voters and beat the incumbency. Post abolition of Octroi, Property Tax is now the mainstay of earnings for local bodies.

 

In case of BMC the cash rich local body has decided to bear the loss from its internal resources. But in case of NMC the condition of public finances quite precarious and any concession upto 500 sq.ft. would further deplete the internal mopping. Meanwhile, the resolution of Taxation Committee has little importance as same needs to be ratified by Urban Development Department (UDD) for it to take legal effect. The civic administration is hardly going to be inclined with city fathers in recommending the waiver of property tax. 

 

 

MEANWHILE, Leader of Opposition in NMC, Tanaji Wanve, has sought concession for properties upto 600 sq.ft. in city and also for slum dwellers. In a communication addressed to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, he said on the lines of waiver announced for properties in Mumbai and Thane cities, NMC to should get the same benefit. Already due to COVID-19 outbreak citizens have suffered financial and a favourable decision on waiver of property tax would enable them to piece together their lives.