Bengaluru: Any move to hike property tax will break the back of people

Bengaluru: Congress leader and former chief minister Siddaramaiah on Monday urged the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) not to increase the property tax and demanded CM B S Yediyurappa's intervention in the matter.

Quoting reports from newspapers, which stated that the BBMP is planning 15 to 30 per cent hike in property tax, Siddaramaiah said the move would be disastrous for the city's development.

"The proposal by BBMP to increase property tax, if implemented, shall be disastrous for the development of city. People are already under huge financial distress to pay property taxes even at existing rates. CM of Karnataka should consider reducing the tax instead of increasing it," he said through a tweet.

The former CM went on to state that the hike would lead to an increase in rents, which would impact businesses and the poor and middleclass segments would even find it difficult to pay their house rents.

"Increase in property tax will result in increase in rents. Businesses will find it difficult to run with increased costs. House rentals will reduce affordability for poor and middle-income people. CM of Karnataka should stand by the people during these difficult times," he said.