Won’t allow SDMC to levy new taxes: Rai

nNEWDELHI: Delhi labour minister Gopal Rai on Sunday said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will not allow the Bjp-ruled South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) to levy “anti-people” new taxes and accused the civic body of “indulging in corruption”. The Delhi BJP, however, said that it has urged the civic body to rollback the proposal and not levy the proposed taxes.

Speaking at a press conference, Rai said at a time when the common man is going through a financial crisis and facing loss of job and business because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bjpruled corporation wants to add to their misery.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta tweeted on Sunday that he has urged the SDMC mayor and other civic body officials to rollback the proposal of new taxes.

“I have spoken to the South Corporation mayor and urged civic officials to rollback the proposal of introducing new taxes. The mayor has agreed. I request Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal to release funds due to the civic bodies under the 4th Delhi Finance Commission so that they can overcome their financial crisis,” Gupta tweeted in Hindi.

South corporation mayor Anamika Mithilesh said that they have agreed to not levy the proposed professional tax, electricity tax, unauthorised colonies house tax and property transfer tax for the “time-being”.

“We will postpone levying of the professional and electricity taxes for the time being, till the situation improves. About other taxes, we will present a detailed report in the House on Monday,” the mayor said.

The new tax proposals have already been cleared by the SDMC standing committee and would to be tabled in the House on Monday for approval.

Rai said, “People are struggling to come to terms with the economic slowdown. Levying new taxes will add to their financial liabilities. The corporation does not provide any facilities in the unauthorised colonies, but is eager to levy new tax on the residents. We will not let this happen. Our councillors in opposition will sit on protest but will not let these be approved in the SDMC House,” said Rai.

The professional tax is proposed to be levied on self-employed professionals such as doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants and architects, among others. The civic body had also proposed to hike the electrify tax from the current 5% on the bill amount to 6%. The tax is collected by distribution companies on behalf of the corporation.

The South civic body has also proposed that if those living in unauthorised colonies pay up the house tax for the financial years 2019-20 and 2020-21, their previous years house tax will be waived off. The civic body levies property tax on G-category properties in unauthorised colonies.

The property transfer tax will be levied on the sale and purchase of a property.