'ULBs have failed to generate resources on their own'

Minister for Municipal Administration, Minorities and Wakf Qamarul Islam on Monday bemoaned that the urban local bodies (ULBs) in the State have failed to mobilise their own resources in an effective manner.

Addressing the media, the minister said barring collection of property tax, in which some ULBs have shown 50 per cent progress, the collection was unsatisfactory with regard to water cess, licence fee from trade licences, and arrears in the form of rent after letting out the properties.

The minister cited the example of Hassan City Municipal Council, where arrears in the form of rent up to Rs 5.9 crore was pending. In some other ULBs, it is up to Rs one crore, he said.
Similarly, the department had taken cognisance of the failure of the local bodies in tapping more revenue in the form of letting out space for advertisements. Citing the example of eight revenue districts of Mysore division, the  minister said though there had been a demand, the revenue generated was meagre Rs 12 lakh.

Following this, the minister said he has directed the ULBs to fix the rent as per the demand of the area.