PUNE: Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has increased the tax burden on citizens by raising 10 percent property tax and 50 percent of water tax. The standing committee had rejected proposal to increase property tax by 18 percent and water tax by 100 percent.
“We are of the opinion that the civic body can avoid this increase for now. Dues worth Rs 1,150 crore are yet to be recovered. The civic body should take steps to recover money from defaulters instead of burdening the people who pay taxes regularly,” Bapu Karne, chairman of the standing committee and NCP leader, had said on January 31.
The BJP and NCP corporators came together on Thursday to support a hike in property and water taxes.
The two parties took a position which was very different from what they had taken when the civic administration proposed a 18% hike in property tax and 100% rise in water tax. The BJP justified its change of stand by citing increasing burden on the city’s finances. Congress, MNS and Shiv Sena still opposed the move.
The proposal was approved with 66 votes in favour and 38 in opposition.
