Panvel City Municipal Corporation budget looks at urban development, welfare schemes, no tax hike

Panvel City Municipal Corporation commissioner presented ₹1,500Cr budget for 2022-23 to the standing committee; the budget does not hike tax and aims at making optimum use of the plots transferred by CIDCO to the civic body through development of infrastructure

The Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) commissioner, Ganesh Deshmukh on Wednesday, presented ₹1,500Cr budget for 2022-23 to the standing committee. The budget that does not hike taxes aims at making optimum use of the plots transferred by City and Industrial Development Corporation (CIDCO) to the civic body through development of infrastructure.

Panvel City Municipal Corporation budget aims to focus on urban development, basic civic services and welfare schemes while no new tax has been introduced. (HT PHOTO)

Established on October 1, 2016, this is the sixth annual budget of the corporation that was presented to SC chairman, Naresh Thakur, by the commissioner.

The commissioner has an estimated income of ₹1,499.70Cr and expenses of ₹1,497.89Cr, leaving a surplus of ₹1.80Cr for the next financial year.

Deshmukh said, “We are concentrating on urban development, basic civic services and welfare schemes. We have also ensured that there is no hike in existing taxes and levies. No new tax has also been introduced.

“Our priority this year is to develop the various plots transferred to us by CIDCO. We will be taking up work on the main administrative building of the corporation, ward offices, urban health posts and gardens.”

Welcoming the budget, PCMC house leader, Paresh Thakur, said, “We had requested the commissioner to take into account the fact that residents will find it difficult to pay their tax property dues that are from retrospective effect. The administration had sent the bills 4-5 years late. Now, the commissioner has said that those who clear their dues up to March 31, 2019 by March 31, 2022 will not have to pay penalties. This is a major relief.”

However, the opposition leader, Pritam Mhatre, was upset. He said, “In the first instance, the inflated budget of ₹1,500Cr looks good. However, the main issue of property tax has not been addressed. What is mentioned does not speak of our demand for a 40% to 50% discount on property tax after the initial 30% discount. This is not acceptable to us.

“We need to study the budget for at least a week to understand its various aspects. If we find that the citizens’ interest has not been taken into account, especially with respect to property tax, we will take it up strongly and not approve the budget until then.”