BMC under fire for delaying proposal on property tax MBMC’s tax amnesty plan may be grounded

The members of the Standing Committee on Wednesday slammed the civic body for not sending the proposal of property tax exemption for houses measuring up to 500 square feet to the state government for further approval.

The proposal was approved and passed in the civic body meeting in July last year, however, BMC Commissioner Ajoy Mehta did not send the file to state government. The information was brought to the notice of the standing committee by the BJP, which led a heated discussion in the meeting thereafter.

In July, the general body of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) cleared a proposal to waive off property tax for residential houses measuring up to 500 sq ft and to give a 60 per cent concession for houses between 500 sq ft and 700 sq ft, a poll promise by the Shiv Sena ahead of the civic elections.

Therefore, after approval from the civic house which comprises of 227 corporators, it was expected that it will be forwarded to the state government to make necessary changes in the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (MMC) Act 1988 for implementation of the proposal.

Meanwhile, BJP corporator Manoj Kotak insisted the administration to move the file immediately. He also insisted that instead of tax exemption on houses measuring up to 500 sq ft – the demand of Shiv Sena – BMC should ask exemption up to 700 sq.ft as demanded by the BJP.

Kotak added that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself in the Maharashtra assembly showed willingness on tax exemption on houses measuring up to 700 sq.ft, therefore it should be considered accordingly.

In addition, with the introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) last year, the BMC had to do away with Octroi, one of its primary sources of revenue.

However, it has received Rs 5,180 crore from the government as compensation recently. In addition, if the current proposal of property tax exemption is passed, the BMC will incur loss of approximately Rs 500 cr per year. With the loss of revenue, the BMC will have to look at other avenues to fund major infrastructure projects for the city. BHAYANDAR: In a major embarrassment for the BJP which rules the Mira Bhayandar Municipal Corporation (MBMC), its much hyped Tax Amnesty Scheme may be doomed even before it could actually take off, as it still awaits an official nod from the civic administration for nearly a month now.

In an attempt to augment revenue, the BJP-led MBMC had passed a resolution envisaging an amnesty scheme involving 50 percent waiver on penalty and interest levied on property tax defaulters, subject to one-time payment on or before March 31.

As per the resolution, the scheme was aimed at providing an opportunity for people to come clean on the tax front by making an upfront payment as the revenue generated could be used to enhance civic amenities and pump funds into much needed infrastructure developmental projects. However, because of a difference in opinions between a section of officials attached to the tax department, the civic chief BG Pawar is yet to take a decision.

“Citing financial implications, a similar proposal had been shot down last year. An opinion has been sought from the government, once we get directives the scheme will be implemented,” said, Pawar.

Averaging Rs 180 crore as the annual revenue generation, the MBMC has recovered just 57 percent outstanding and is far from achieving its target in the current fiscal.

In July, the general body of BMC cleared a proposal to waive off property tax for residential houses measuring up to 500 sq ft and to give a 60 per cent concession for houses between 500 sq ft and 700 sq ft, a poll promise by the Shiv Sena ahead of the civic elections