JOIN USMCC council resolves to hike property, other taxes by 15%
The Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) council on Friday decided to increase property and other taxes by 15%.
The corporators agreed to increase the tax during the council meeting presided over by Mayor M J Ravikumar at the MCC here.
Though there was a proposal for a hike of 30%, the council approved for only 15% after corporators Sandesh Swamy and others opposed it. MCC Commissioner G Jagadeesha said that there is a provision to increase the tax by 30% once in three years.
The new tax will apply for vacant sites, residential buildings, properties belonging to charitable trusts, commercial complexes, film theatres, community halls, education institutions, industries and others.
The council also agreed to increase the funds for the beneficiaries of housing schemes under the 24.1 programmes for SC and ST and 7.25% programmes for backward communities. The funds have been increased to Rs 2.25 lakh. A few corporators urged the Mayor to submit a proposal to the state government to increase the funds to Rs 3.5 lakh under the said schemes.
Corporator Purushottam expressed displeasure over the delay in distributing lands to farmers who have lost agricultural lands for development works taken up by the MCC.
As many as 245 SC farmers have lost lands and as per the government order, issued in 1977, the MCC should provide them five guntas of land each but many farmers are yet to receive the lands.
The Commissioner said that the lands have been allotted for a few farmers and many sanctioned lands have been turned into dumping yards and thus the MCC has identified lands at other places.
New public toilets
The council approved the proposal for construction of public toilets under Innovation for Urban Wash Solution programme supported by National Institute of Urban Affairs and United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
The commissioner said that Karnataka is one among the three states selected under the programme. The toilets will be constructed on the land identified by the MCC with funds provided under the programme.
Official ‘apathy’ condemned
Chairman of the Standing Committee for Town Planning and Development Nandeesh Preetam took up cudgels against the officials for being “apathetic”.
He said the officials failed to take up development works efficiently. “It has become difficult to face the people due to the negligence of the officials,” he said.
He also offered to tender resignation as corporator. However, corporator Ma V Ramprasad convinced Nandeesh Preetham.