The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) has unveiled a groundbreaking house-tax waiver scheme that aims to alleviate financial burdens on residents while addressing corruption issues in tax collection.
The initiative allows homeowners to settle their house tax dues for 2024-25 with an added benefit of having all previous pending taxes written off.
The announcement came during a press conference attended by MCD Mayor Mahesh Khichi, Deputy Mayor Ravinder Bhardwaj, Leader of the House Mukesh Goel, and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh.
This proposal by the AAP-led civic body is geared towards easing the economic strain on citizens and is anticipated to pass in the MCD House shortly.
The scheme provides significant relief: properties up to 100 square yards, including residential shops, are exempt from house tax starting next financial year.
Properties between 100 and 500 square yards will benefit from a 50% waiver, while 1,300 housing societies will receive a 25% rebate for the first time.
At the press conference, Mayor Khichi emphasized AAP's commitment to delivering its promises, highlighting the scheme as a measure to reduce the financial load on homeowners.
He also noted the MCD's efforts to regularize 12,000 contractual staff, complementing the 8,000 workers who achieved permanent status over the past two years.
The tax-waiver initiative is designed not only to relieve households but also to enhance transparency in tax collection, curtailing corrupt practices. Sanjay Singh reiterated AAP's dedication to public welfare, describing the scheme as pivotal in fulfilling this commitment.
Singh specifically underscored the historic nature of extending a 25% rebate to 1,300 housing apartments, which marks a first in Delhi’s history and promises considerable relief to many families.
Durgesh Pathak, AAP's MCD in-charge, highlighted the end of corrupt practices in tax collection, citing past instances where house tax was leveraged for extracting bribes, subsequently affecting MCD's revenue. He also pointed to the improvements in financial management under AAP, which ensured timely payment of MCD employee salaries- a stark change from previous administrations.