Visakhapatnam: Withdraw property tax hike, demand opposition parties

Visakhapatnam: TDP leaders and Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation TDP corporators demanded withdrawal of the proposal of hike in property tax hike.

At a meeting held here on Friday, they strongly opposed the government's move which they mentioned will add to the financial burden on the taxpayers.

Condemning the proposal, TDP leaders staged a protest at NTR statue in the party office. Speaking on the occasion, TDP's Visakhapatnam Parliamentary constituency president Palla Srinivasa Rao demanded immediate withdrawal of the new house tax policy. Visakhapatnam East constituency MLA Velagapudi Ramakrishna Babu, MLC D Ramarao, TDP politburo member Vangalapudi Anitha, state party general secretary MD Nazir, GVMC floor leader Peela Srinivasa Rao and other corporators participated in the protest.

Meanwhile, leaders of various parties criticised the Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Botcha Satyanarayana for not disclosing the actual details of the new property tax policy when enquired about it. They challenged the Minister to discuss the proposal in a detailed manner.

Activists of the CPI, CPM, Jana Sena, Lok Satta and CPI-ML parties staged a protest at the GVMC Gandhi statue, opposing the tax policy.

CPM city secretary B Ganga Rao, CPI city secretary M Pydiraju, Jana Sena party corporator P Murthy Yadav, Lok Satta party leader V Hari Ganesh and CPI (ML) leader P Ganesh alleged that Botcha Satyanarayana was trying to 'hide' the facts.

They said the hike in tax will put an additional financial burden on Visakhapatnam people to the tune of Rs 600 crore and demanded the authorities to continue the old tax policy.