Date:11/03/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/03/11/stories/2005031115280300.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

BMP move to impose cess opposed

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, MARCH 10. Members of Citizens' Voice, a voluntary organisation, have opposed the levy of the new solid waste management cess and the infrastructure cess by the Bangalore Mahanagara Palike (BMP).

Addressing presspersons here on Thursday, the convenor of Citizens' Voice, H.T. Devaraj, demanded that the BMP withdraw the new levies failing which the members of the organisation would launch an agitation.

Condemning the stand of the Government and the BMP on the new levies, he said it was ridiculous for the civic body to charge people for using its roads.

"Though the Government is collecting the motor vehicle tax from vehicle users, it is not sharing a pie with the BMP, which maintains the roads. Instead of permitting the BMP to levy the new cess, the Government should share a percentage of the motor vehicles tax with the civic body," he said.

He suggested that the BMP could collect solid waste management cess in place of the education cess being collected as part of property tax (at the rate of 10 per cent).

Property tax

Mr. Devaraj also objected to the BMP's property tax scheme based on the capital value of a building.

"The existing Self-assessment Scheme has become popular and people are comfortable with assessing their tax. Why should the tax be calculated on the basis of the capital value of a building when people are sharing common civic amenities," he asked.