BBMP budget: high property tax target receives flak

The BBMP budget evoked a mixed response with some criticising the high property tax collection target while others lauded it. Urban expert R K Misra said high expectations from property tax may sound absurd, but the high target of Rs 3,723.25 crore reveals that the Palike has started cleaning up its house.

“It is not that the BBMP does not have the potential to generate such huge revenues. All that the BBMP needs to do is to bring in some Aadhaar equivalent for identity of properties. It is high time the BBMP stops thinking that people are honest and will declare the actual size of their properties,” said Misra. He felt that the BBMP has started streamlining its finances. He, however, was doubtful about the emphasis given to the plantation drive.

“I am always skeptical about plantation drives since there is no proper monitoring system.” Sridhar Pabbisetty of Namma Bengaluru Foundation said, “Over promise, under delivery – that sums up the 2017-18 budget of BBMP.” He observed that the allocation of Rs 89 crore for lakes was not enough. “At least Rs 300 crore is required annually to revive and maintain our lakes,” opined Pabbisetty.

Madhava Reddy, a close observer of BBMP developments said the budget looks promising. However, what lacks is the monitoring and implementation. “Palike has became a hub of corruption because there is no monitoring system. The palike administration has systematically murdered the vigilance cell. It is unfortunate that there is no monitoring agency left in the BBMP,” said Reddy.