BJP-ruled MCD is yet again trying to raise house tax, adding to the financial burdens of Delhi residents: Durgesh Pathak
MCD has the potential to collect house tax worth Rs 4,700 crores from the 27.5 lakh registered properties but only Rs 1,750 crores reaches the treasuries: Durgesh Pathak
Every year around Rs 3,000 crores worth of house tax revenue is squandered due to the flagrant corruption by the BJP-led MCD: Durgesh Pathak
If this enormous gap between the expected revenue, and the actual amount MCD collects is filled, there would be no need to increase the house tax: Durgesh Pathak
AAP has a number of suggestions which it would like to discuss with Ashwini Kumar; I am hopeful he will take out time for a meeting: Durgesh Pathak
NEW DELHI:
Aam Aadmi Party has written to MCD Special Commissioner Ashwini Kumar opposing the unnecessary and unwarranted hike in house tax. AAP Senior Leader and MCD In-charge Shri Durgesh Pathak said, “BJP-ruled MCD is yet again trying to raise house tax, adding to the financial burdens of Delhi residents. MCD has the potential to collect house tax worth Rs 4,700 crores from the 27.5 lakh registered properties but only Rs 1,750 crores reaches the treasuries. Every year around Rs 3,000 crores worth of house tax revenue is squandered due to the flagrant corruption by the BJP-led MCD. If this enormous gap between the expected revenue, and the actual amount MCD collects is filled, there would be no need to increase the house tax. AAP has a number of suggestions which it would like to discuss with Ashwini Kumar; I am hopeful he will take out time for a meeting.”
AAP Senior Leader and MCD In-charge Shri Durgesh Pathak said, “The unification of all three MCDs is now complete, following which Special Commissioner Shri Sunil Kumar has been appointed for the single municipal body. Other officials are also in the process of being appointed. Amidst all this, alleged news about MCD imposing new kinds of property taxes in order to increase its income is making the rounds in newspapers. This means that there is a possibility of a massive increment in the house tax that Delhi residents pay. All three MCDs have a total of 27.5 lac houses registered with them, from where they source their house tax. If all of this house tax is collected properly, then the revenue generated from that amounts to around Rs 4,700 crores. However, in reality, the BJP-led MCD only collects house tax worth Rs 1,750 crores, which is an enormous gap. If this gap is filled, there would be no need to increase the house tax at all.”
He added, “Delhi residents are already deeply troubled because of the loss they have experienced as a result of the pandemic. Many of them have lost their businesses, while the incomes of many have decreased significantly. An increase in the house tax will be a new form of financial torture for Delhiites. Every year around Rs 3,000 crores worth of house tax revenue is squandered due to the flagrant corruption by the BJP-led MCD. I have written a letter regarding this to Ashwini Kumar, who is the Special Commissioner of all 3 MCDs. In the letter I have stated that the MCD should collect all 4,700 crores of the house tax revenue. If the MCD fixes its collection system, it will generate sufficient revenue to fulfil all its responsibilities, and there will be no need for increment in any of the property taxes.”
He concluded, “Through my letter, I have asked Spl Commissioner Ashwini Kumar to give us time for a meeting. My team and I intend to share our ideas with him and discuss ways to improve the collection process of the MCD. The MCD does not need to go the extra mile to generate the required amount of revenue, it already has a sufficient number of identified houses to source its house tax. All it needs to do is fix the leakages and the corruption, which will reflect as an immediate jump in its revenue. It is my humble request to the MCD to not burden Delhi residents with an unnecessary increase in the house tax, as it is not needed. I am hopeful for a meeting with the Special Commissioner in which we will discuss the matter in further detail with him.”