‘Why not nail the defaulters first?’

Residents have thumbed down the proposed increase in property tax, in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s budget for next year. Although the civic agency claims that the number of property taxpayers is increasing, it has still not been able to deal with those evading tax.

Residents have thumbed down the proposed increase in property tax, in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi’s budget for next year. Although the civic agency claims that the number of property taxpayers is increasing, it has still not been able to deal with those evading tax.

HT Image

Approximately nine lakh people pay property tax to the civic agency currently, but according to the municipal corporation, there are more than 30 lakh properties in the city. Clearly, it is missing more than two-thirds of its taxes.

“We are the honest tax payers who have been paying our taxes every year without fail, why should we take the burden of the defaulters? The MCD should come up with a strategy to make the defaulters pay. Increasing property tax is not the solution. They are forcing us to leave Delhi,” said Rajiv Kakaria, member of Greater Kailash-I resident welfare association.

The civic agency had recently launched a scheme asking all the defaulters to pay their dues, but to no avail.

“The civic agency is unable to provide basic facilities, and rather than improving them, it is burdening the innocent population. Price hike is hurting our pockets already. We were expecting the BJP-led MCD to be more sensitive towards our needs, but it seems to have disappointed us equally,” said VK Arora, a resident of Anand Vihar.

To determine the exact number of property owners in the city, Survey of India is carrying out a survey, a report of which will be soon made available to the MCD.

The report is expected to give an exact idea of the number of property owners, taxpayers and tax evaders in the city.