Latest news with #RWAs
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Steep property tax hike in Ghaziabad sparks protests
GHAZIABAD : Protests against the civic body's new property tax structure has gained support from RWAs, industry associations and residents' groups. The revised rates, implemented on April 1, haven't gone down well due to an increase of up to four times the previous rates, which residents claim violates existing municipal laws that allow corporations to increase property taxes once every two years. The GMC board had last hiked the house tax on 4.28 lakh properties by 10% in Jan 2023. The rates, which were in effect till April 1 this year, required properties along roads less than 12m wide to pay Rs 0.3 per square foot to Rs 1.6 per sqft, those on 12-24m roads to pay Rs 0.5 per sqft to Rs 2 sqft, and properties on wider roads to pay Rs 0.65 per sqft to Rs 2.4 per sqft. Under the revised tax structure, rates now range from Rs 0.7 to Rs 4 per sqft, which means homeowners may have to pay Rs 5,000 more in taxes annually. Recently, an industry association, under the banner of Mahanagar Udyog Vypar Mandal , staged a protest at GMC's Nayvug Market headquarters against the "steep" hike. "According to the municipal rules, GMC can hike property tax once every two years. In FY 2023-24, the tax was increased by 10%, and for this financial year, it has been increased again, which is about three to four times higher," Brijmohan Singhal, a representative of the organisation, said. Sriram Nair, president of Shalimar Garden Extension-2, B-Block, said they have submitted a memorandum to the municipal commissioner stating that the hike in property taxes was not as per the law and urged him to roll it back. "On average, there will be an annual increase of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 in house tax rate in this fiscal year. The hike has led to discontent among residents. If there is no course correction, GMC should be ready for mass protest," he said. Former councillor Rajendra Mittal threatened to take the matter to court. "The steep hike will only put an additional financial burden on residents. The GMC Board had earlier mandated a hike of 10% every two years, but now, as one can see, it is about four times the rate of last year. I have documents to support that the new tax slab is not as per the municipal laws, and if it is not taken back, we will have to seek refuge in court," Tyagi said. Mayor Sunita Dayal, on the other hand, said that they were holding consultations with councillors and GMC officials. "GMC calculates the tax based on the annual rental value (ARV) of a property. In March, the board passed the proposal to link house tax with DM circle rate, so to say that it is unconstitutional is not true," said a GMC official. Over the last two fiscal years, the number of properties in the city has gone up from 4.5 lakh to 6.3 lakh. With the revised rate, the house tax is to increase GMC's revenue collection by Rs 60 crore.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Steep property tax hike in Ghaziabad sparks protests
Ghaziabad: Protests against the civic body's new property tax structure has gained support from RWAs, industry associations and residents' groups. The revised rates, implemented on April 1, haven't gone down well due to an increase of up to four times the previous rates, which residents claim violates existing municipal laws that allow corporations to increase property taxes once every two years. The GMC board had last hiked the house tax on 4.28 lakh properties by 10% in Jan 2023. The rates, which were in effect till April 1 this year, required properties along roads less than 12m wide to pay Rs 0.3 per square foot to Rs 1.6 per sqft, those on 12-24m roads to pay Rs 0.5 per sqft to Rs 2 sqft, and properties on wider roads to pay Rs 0.65 per sqft to Rs 2.4 per sqft. Under the revised tax structure, rates now range from Rs 0.7 to Rs 4 per sqft, which means homeowners may have to pay Rs 5,000 more in taxes annually. Recently, an industry association, under the banner of Mahanagar Udyog Vypar Mandal, staged a protest at GMC's Nayvug Market headquarters against the "steep" hike. "According to the municipal rules, GMC can hike property tax once every two years. In FY 2023-24, the tax was increased by 10%, and for this financial year, it has been increased again, which is about three to four times higher," Brijmohan Singhal, a representative of the organisation, said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Knochen-auf-Knochen? Probieren Sie diese bionische Kniebandage. Mrjoint Mehr erfahren Undo Sriram Nair, president of Shalimar Garden Extension-2, B-Block, said they have submitted a memorandum to the municipal commissioner stating that the hike in property taxes was not as per the law and urged him to roll it back. "On average, there will be an annual increase of Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 in house tax rate in this fiscal year. The hike has led to discontent among residents. If there is no course correction, GMC should be ready for mass protest," he said. Former councillor Rajendra Mittal threatened to take the matter to court. "The steep hike will only put an additional financial burden on residents. The GMC Board had earlier mandated a hike of 10% every two years, but now, as one can see, it is about four times the rate of last year. I have documents to support that the new tax slab is not as per the municipal laws, and if it is not taken back, we will have to seek refuge in court," Tyagi said. Mayor Sunita Dayal, on the other hand, said that they were holding consultations with councillors and GMC officials. "GMC calculates the tax based on the annual rental value (ARV) of a property. In March, the board passed the proposal to link house tax with DM circle rate, so to say that it is unconstitutional is not true," said a GMC official. Over the last two fiscal years, the number of properties in the city has gone up from 4.5 lakh to 6.3 lakh. With the revised rate, the house tax is to increase GMC's revenue collection by Rs 60 crore.
Time of India
2 days ago
- General
- Time of India
TN govt invites applications to empanel waste recyclers
Chennai: In a move that will formally recognise and integrate Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), NGOs, and community-based groups into Tamil Nadu's solid waste management ecosystem, the state govt has invited applications to empanel waste collection and recycling agencies. The Clean Tamil Nadu Company Limited (CTCL), under the Special Project Implementation Department, is spearheading the initiative as part of its 'Thooimai Iyakkam' or Clean Movement. The aim is to build an integrated, sustainable, and decentralized waste management system across both urban and rural areas. The empanelment will cover agencies involved in collecting, processing, and recycling all types of solid waste. Selected firms will be authorised to support local bodies and coordinate with informal waste workers while adhering to environmental regulations. Officials said this is a step towards creating a robust circular waste economy while ensuring scientific handling, accountability, and social inclusion. Applications and related documents can be submitted at: Raman of Panneer Nagar RWA, in Mogappair, who segregates waste daily, said empanelling vendors and publishing their details online will encourage more people to hand over recyclable waste directly to them. "At the moment, people get information only through social media. A formalised system will help reduce the volume of waste going to landfills," he said.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Delhi CM pitches for year-round anti-pollution plan
NEW DELHI Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday highlighted the Delhi government's initiatives, such as the Delhi Electric Vehicle Interconnector (DEVi) scheme, hi-tech machines for water sprinkling and road sweeping, and new policies to prevent garbage burning at both localities and landfills as key measures to combat the Capital's air pollution. Speaking at Aironomics-2025, an event where policymakers and experts discussed clean air as a driver of India's economic growth, Ms. Gupta underlined the need for public involvement. She said the government will seek people's participation, from Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), ensuring proper disposal of construction waste to providing heaters to guards in winter so they don't burn firewood. Year-round problem 'The previous governments treated pollution as a winter issue. But pollution is not seasonal. In winter, slowed air flow makes pollution more visible, but we must work to control it all year,' the CM said, stressing long-term reforms. 'We've backed our ambition with resources. ₹300 crore has been allocated in this year's budget for pollution control,' Ms. Gupta said. She also noted that the Delhi Pollution Control Committee's vacancies had been reduced from 60% to 34%, with a target of 25% by June. The CM also said the government will continue to promote electric vehicles, with subsidy plans in the pipeline. A blueprint is being prepared to establish 48,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across Delhi by 2026 under the DEVi initiative. Aironomics 2025, hosted by the Council for International Economic Understanding (CIEU) and organised under the Bharat Climate Forum in collaboration with advisory firm Dalberg, brought together representatives from the WHO, UNEP, the World Bank, IITs, TERI, NGT, CPCB, and others. Key discussions included carbon markets, green bonds, real-time air quality monitoring technology, and grassroots engagement. The CIEU projected investment opportunities worth ₹35,000 crore and job creation potential in the biogas and EV sectors. National priority The key discussions included financing models like carbon markets and green bonds, technology for real-time air quality monitoring and community-driven initiatives. The summit reiterated that poor air quality is a year-round, pan-India crisis, costing the economy an estimated $95 billion annually. Ashwani Mahajan, Co-convener of Swadeshi Jagran Manch, the economic wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), stressed the need for coordinated action across ministries and States to bridge gaps in enforcement, funding, and institutional mandates. The event concluded with a call to transform policy consensus into coordinated implementation across institutions and sectors, reaffirming clean air as a national development priority.
Hindustan Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Hindustan Times
Booking community centres in Chandigarh may soon be a costlier affair
Residents looking to host their celebrations at community centres in Chandigarh may soon have to set aside a fatter budget, as the municipal corporation has proposed an up to three-fold hike in their booking charges. The proposal, aimed at generating much-needed revenue for the cash-strapped MC, is set to be tabled in the House meeting scheduled for June 3. Depending on the facilities offered, the community centres located across the city are classified into three categories. Category A centres, earlier available for ₹44,000, will cost ₹60,000 — a 36% jump — if the proposal goes through. The booking charge for Category B centres is set to be doubled from ₹22,000 to ₹40,000, while the steepest hike is proposed for Category C centres, with an up to three-fold increase — going up from ₹5,000- ₹22,000 earlier to ₹15,000- ₹30,000. Weddings of women from families living below the poverty line, along with medical camps, blood donation camps, UT/MC events, and meetings of RWAs, senior citizens' bodies and pensioners' associations will continue to be exempted from the booking charge. But memorial prayer meetings, such as rasam pagdi and kriya bhog, which were also free earlier, will now entail 25% of the booking fee. An earlier draft had proposed booking charges for even weddings of economically weaker families and RWA meetings, but the move faced strong resistance from various organisations, leading to its withdrawal. Membership model similar to clubs on anvil According to the agenda, residents will now be able to become members of community centres, similar to clubs. Annual membership fees have been proposed as follows: Category A and B centres: ₹1,000 for general members and ₹500 for senior citizens. Category C centres: ₹500 for general members and ₹250 for senior citizens. Members will receive discounts on bookings, and will also get access to gym facilities and indoor games. A community centre administrative committee will be constituted to oversee operations and service improvements. This committee will follow a mayor-led structure, with the area councillor serving as chairperson and nominated councillors as vice-chairpersons. Sub-divisional engineers from various wings will be part of the committee. Water connections outside Lal Dora area The proposal to allow water connections outside the Lal Dora limits of 22 villages will be tabled again during the House meeting. Though approved in March, it will now be presented after legal vetting as per the water bylaws. Pet bylaws may finally go through The draft of the 'Pet Dogs and Community Dogs Bylaws, 2025' will be presented for final approval. Initially passed on March 11, 2024, and sent to the secretary, local government, the draft was subjected to public feedback for 30 days. Incorporating suggestions and objections, the revised version is now ready for adoption.
