SDMC Budget: Plan To Hike Property Tax Struck Down

When the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) unveiled its Budget Estimates for the financial year 2018-19 (FY19) on December 8, the civic body had proposed a nominal increase in property tax rates.
It proposed that residential properties of category A and B falling under the SDMC would have to pay a 14 per cent tax, an increase of two percentage points from the existing 12 per cent.  It was proposed that residential properties of C, D and E categories would have to pay 12 per cent property tax from the existing 11 per cent, and, from seven per cent, residential properties of F, G and H categories would have to pay an eight per cent tax.

Those proposals were struck out when the SDMC House on February 12 cleared the annual Budget. Additionally, the SDMC will also give property tax exemption to medal winners of the Olympics and other top games.

"Martyrs belonging to the armed forces and the para-military forces and their widows; medal winners in the Olympics, the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games will get the full exemption on payment of property tax for one residential property," the SDMC said.

"Ex-servicemen are to get 30 per cent rebate, on lump sum payment of property tax, up to June 30, for one residential property," it said.

To honour the freedom fighters, the civic body also plans to rename of schools, parks and community centres after them.

What else is there is the SDMC Budget this year?

*The Budget proposes 16 multi-level automated car parking and procurement of 72 electric cars soon.

"The new parking policy of Delhi government is to come soon. But, the SDMC is not in favour of charging parking fee for parking of vehicles in the inside lanes of colonies,” said Leader of the House Shikha Rai.

*All lighting system in schools would be replaced with LED lights.  Also, in all SDMC schools, free sanitary pads will be provided to girls.

*The SDMC will offer wood shavings for use in the funeral pyre, to the poor at no cost.

*All 104 wards under the SDMC would get 10 Victorian-style benches and two mobile health vans.

With inputs from Housing News