Delhi Govt approves hike in tax on pets

Delhi Govt backs the MCD's long-pending demand to allow it to hike the tax being imposed on domestic animals and pets.

The Delhi Government has approved the long-pending demand of the MCD to allow it to hike the tax being presently imposed on domestic animals and pets.

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"Delhi Cabinet in a meeting last week approved the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2008 at the request of the MCD as it had been insisting for upward revision in the rates which had not been revised since 1857 when the Act was enacted," according to an official release here.

Following the green signal from the Delhi Government, it will now be the discretion of the MCD to decide the slab to be imposed for collection of tax.

The MCD, which had been seeking increase in the tax, argued that there was a considerable erosion in the value of money over time as the existing slabs between Rs 12 to Rs 24 are absurdly low, the release added.

The MCD stressed the need of enhancement of the rates as a higher amount was being spent on collection of the original tax.

A high level delegation led by Mayor Arti Mehra had also met Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit recently in this connection, the release added.

With the amendment in the Act, the MCD can now decide on the quantum of tax to be levied.

The amendments, that have been cleared by Delhi Cabinet, will be taken up for passage in the upcoming Budget Session of the State Assembly.

If the amendments in the Delhi Municipal Corporation (Amendment) Bill 2008 and New Delhi Municipal Council (Amendment) Bill 2008 are cleared by the Assembly, then they will be sent to the Central Government for clearance.