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As Chandigarh MC tries to boost revenue, services set to cost dear for residents
The proposed hikes will impact services such as the issuance of birth and death certificates, charges for using mobile toilet vans for private events, rent for telecom infrastructure, tertiary treated water, monthly rent of Verka milk booths among others.
With its fiscal crisis worsening, the Chandigarh municipal corporation (MC) is planning to revise rates for various services to boost its revenue, a proposal for which will be tabled and discussed in the upcoming general house meeting on December 24 (Tuesday).
The proposed hikes will impact services such as the issuance of birth and death certificates, charges for using mobile toilet vans for private events, rent for telecom infrastructure, tertiary treated water, monthly rent of Verka milk booths among others.
In the official agenda list for the House meeting, the MC is proposing to sell the TT water at ₹7 per kilolitre on the lines of Delhi Jal Board. At present, MC charges ₹2.50 per kilolitre of TT water. The agenda was also proposed in the last house meeting on November 23 but could not be discussed.
“The Registrar birth and death department of the Chandigarh MC covers 29 private hospitals and nursing homes, and registration units are working on the online software by the Centre. MC is planning to revise the fees/charges and new proposed charges related to issuance of certificates. The first copy of birth and debt certificate will remain free, but we are proposing that first subsequent copy will be provided at ₹100 and ₹20 will be charged for additional copy. At present first 10 copies are provided free of cost, and after that, each copy is provided at ₹12. At present, addition of name within one year is done free of cost, but MC is proposing ₹50 for it. At present, addition of name after one year invites ₹5 as late fee, but MC is proposing the late fee to be increased to ₹100,” the agenda read.
Verification of certificates will cost ₹300, which was being done free of cost as of now. Various other charges related to the issuance of birth and death certificates have also been revised.
MC is also planning to rent out mobile toilet vans for private and religious events in the city. For a private event up to 5 km, MC will charge ₹6,500, which will include ₹2,000 as refundable security and the rent will increase to ₹7,000 if event is scheduled beyond 5 km. For religious events, total charge would be ₹3,000 including ₹2,000 refundable security.
The MC has been grappling with a severe financial crunch, forcing it to halt all development works since May and even putting long-pending road carpeting projects on hold. Such is the crisis that the corporation may not be able to even pay staff salaries in the coming months. Punjab governor and UT administrator Gulab Chand Kataria directed MC officials and councillors to curtail the expenses and focus on improving the corporation’s own revenue generation.
In the first two quarters of the 2024-25 fiscal, MC managed to bring in only ₹176 crore from various income sources. This includes ₹87 crore generated through water bills, ₹35 crore from property tax (commercial), ₹13 crore from property tax (residential), ₹11 crore as electricity cess, ₹5 crore as parking fee and other sources. It set a target of collecting ₹173 crore in the next two quarters — ₹86 crore short of its original annual target.
BOX: MC plans to hire experts to generate more revenue
MC is planning to hire a team of ‘revenue generation’ experts to identify and implement innovative projects and strategies aimed at increasing the civic body’s own revenue.
The proposal to hire these experts will be tabled during the General House meeting. The proposed team will include professionals such as project experts, IT specialists, and other revenue-focused experts who will work together to address the fiscal challenges.
“Initially, the experts will be hired for a one-year period. If their initiatives prove successful, the MC plans to hire more such professionals to ensure long-term solutions to the corporation’s financial woes,” said MC officials.
