Tirupati: MCT gives nod for hiking property tax, user charge

Tirupati: Ignoring vociferous demand not to hike taxes, all sections including political parties, tax payer associations and others, the Municipal Corporation Council meeting held here on Thursday approved the hike in property tax and also user charges for collection of household waste proposed by the government to improve the financial status of the civic bodies.

City MLA and Council ex-officio member B Karunakar Reddy defending the hike in property tax and user charge said that the Corporation has no other go except to hike the tax with a cap of 15 per cent to enable the Corporation to improve facilities and take up infrastructure development. He blamed the previous TDP regime misuse of funds for the state's financial crisis.

He took the occasion to warn the encroachers of government land and said that no one would be spared including party leaders if they indulge in illegal occupation of government lands in the pilgrim city.

The meeting chaired by Mayor Dr R Sirisha approved all the 42 items in the agenda. This includes sanction of Rs 2 crore for construction of shopping complex in the old TP area school area, construction of Ward Secretariat near Anjaneya Swamy temple in Peddakapu layout at a cost of Rs 2 crore, new CC roads and extending underground drainage system wherever required in the city.