The government has taken a policy decision to rationalise the property tax structure in the State by linking it to the value of the property owned by the assessee, and it does not mean the tax will be increased arbitrarily, according to Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development Botcha Satyanarayana.
“The increase in property tax will not be more than 15% of the existing amount,” Mr. Satyanarayana told the media here on Wednesday.
The Minister was here to attend a meeting of party MLAs, MP, and newly elected ward members of the Anantapur Municipal Corporation at the residence of MLA Anantha Venkatarami Reddy.
Mr. Satyanarayana, while not disclosing the date from which the new tax regime would come into force, pointed out that those owning houses with a built-up area below 330 sft would be required to pay only ₹50 per year.
“Under the new tax structure, it will not be possible to influence the tax collectors in assessing the municipal tax. When the TDP cried foul over the government’s move, we showed it the G.O. issued restricting the quantum of increase to a maximum of 15%,” the Minister said.
CID notices
Referring to the CID notices to TDP national president and Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu and former Minister P. Narayana, the district in-charge Minister said, “The CID works independently. If Mr. Naidu has nothing to hide, why should he worry?”
“I too had faced the CBI probe twice based on complaints lodged by Mr. Naidu, but I never cribbed about it. I showed the proofs to the CBI and got a clean chit,” the Minister said.
Thanking the people of Anantapur for voting out the TDP, Mr. Satyanarayana said it was a tremendous performance. “A member of the Muslim minority community will become the Mayor, and a person from the Balija (BC) community his deputy. The election of the second Deputy Mayor will be held later,” he said.
