BMC hikes water tax by 15 pc, property tax kept unchanged
   Date :31-Mar-2022
 
BMC hikes water tax
 
Staff Reporter
The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday unveiled its ‘no profit no loss’ budget for the next financial year (2022-23), with a total outlay of Rs 3,104 crores.
Administrator Gulshan Bamra gave a nod to the budget. This time the property tax has not been increased, but water tax has been hiked by 15 per cent and solid waste charges by 50 per cent. Now instead of Rs 180, people will have to pay Rs 210 for water, i.e., a burden of Rs 30 more on common man’s pocket. This burden will increase on those who have an area of 2,400 square feet or more. However, people from the poor section will not come under this purview. They will pay only Rs 30 per month as before. The BMC has started ‘One Citizen App’, with this people will be able to deposit taxes like property, water through a single app.
BMC Commissioner KVS Chaudhary Kolsani presented the budget, which was approved by the Divisional Commissioner and Administrator Gulshan Bamra. Special focus has been given in the budget on issues like roads, sanitation, new water connections, sewage, gardens, solar power plants. Property tax has not been increased and no new tax has been imposed.
Understanding the Budget
Water: A provision of Rs 250 crore has been made for Pani-Amrit Yojana 2.0. In this, laying of pipelines, connection, treatment plant will be done.
n Roads: About 92 per cent of the roads in the city are owned by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation. These include both cement and asphalt roads. Most of the roads have to be repaired every year, as the roads get uprooted in the rains. The BMC has focused on roads in the budget.
n Sewage network: Rs 420 crore has been spent on sewerage and drainage system in the city in 5 years. Despite this, many areas are submerged in rain every year. Sewage network has also been focused in the budget.
n Sanitation: More than 40 per cent of the budget is spent on sanitation, including transfer station maintenance, including salaries and allowances of officers-employees. This time again the major focus is on cleanliness. Every ward will have modern system of sewer cleaning.
n Beautification: More than 150 parks in the city come under the purview of BMC. More than Rs 40 crore are spent every year on their maintenance. There are many points related to beautification in the budget. A sum of Rs 1 crore will be spent on plantation.
n Dogs ABC Center: Incidents of stray dog attacks have also increased in the State capital. Many times these incidents become a big issue. Three months back, a case was also taken up by the High Court. Presently, the center is located in Neelbad. Rs 2 crore will be spent on dog vasectomies.
n Swachh Bharat Mission: A sum of Rs 75 crore will be spent for processing plant, biomedical waste execution, hazardous waste, transfer station.
n Traffic: Rs 9 crore will be spent for construction of signals and blinkers, footpaths, intersections/central verges at major intersections. A total of Rs 26 crore will be spent on BRTS.