The house of municipal corporation Shimla yesterday adopted one line resolution anonymously to withdraw the draft of unit area method tax as it was brought by last BJP government.
Deputy mayor of MC Shimla Tikender Singh Panwar said that the house anonymously passed one line resolution to withdraw the draft of unit area method tax as BJP, Congress and CPI(M) members of MC house were on the same page to bring and pass it by yesterday.
To impost taxes on the residents of this town, draft of unit area method was notified in February 2012 as it was passed by erstwhile MC house dominated by Congress and amendment in MC tax rules was brought by last BJP government.
Unit area method was a new pattern of raising property taxes on area and size of the property that falls in the MC limited after changing the old pattern of revenue generation.
Meanwhile, sharp exchanges also took place in the house yesterday between Mayor Sanjay Chauhan and Municipal Commissioner Amarjeet Singh when the agenda was brought by the latter to propose amendment in the said draft.
Mayor directed the MC commissioner to bring up fresh resolution immediately as per the intentions of the house members rather than it is endorsed by state government. After intervention of chair commissioner brought new single line resolution desired by the house.
Before coming to power CPI(M) had promised the people of this town to not go ahead with the unit areas method and the resolution was brought in that context. Meanwhile Shimla Nagrik Sabha, a left wing people mass organisation were protesting outside the town hall when this resolution was being produced in the house.
Members leaving their political differences aside supported the resolution and it was passed anonymously. State and center government was trying to press this draft on the civic body after tagging conditions in JNNURM and other schemes linking them with imposing fresh charges and taxes on resident on various services rendered by the civic body.
