The general body meeting was held on Thursday approved the MBMC Budget of Rs 1,800 crores for the current financial year, while a special decision was taken on the property tax.
Citizens might take some sigh of relief as they were struggling from the financial difficulties amid lockdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In a first-ever experiment, through the zoom app, the special General Body Meeting was held on Thursday. A proposal to provide 50 per cent tax relief in a property tax if paid before October 31 was passed. Also, if last year’s property tax is paid by the same date then interest will be waived off. This Special General Body meeting has also approved the MBMC budget of Rs. 1800 crores for the current financial year.
After 5 months, MBMC held the ‘Digital General Body Meeting’. The meeting started at noon, due to technical constraints. At 5 PM, the meeting concluded. Only 78 corporators participated out of 94-member MBMC. However, before the meeting concluded, only 69 members were present.
The general body has approved a budget of Rs 1,800 crores for the current financial year. A special proposal was proposed on the property tax. There are more than 3.5 lakhs domestic and commercial establishments which pay property taxes in MBMC jurisdiction. Of these, 1.5 lakhs are commercial establishments while around two lakhs are residential. Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation was expecting Rs 271 crores from the property tax in the current financial year. However, due to current pandemic, MBMC has managed to collect only Rs 1.5 crores through an online system. Sanjay Donde, Tax Collection Officer said, “At the end of July, we mostly achieve 20% of the targeted collection. However, we have collected only 0.5% this time.
50 per cent rebate?
Dhruv Kishor Patil, BJP corporator and former chairman of the standing committee, said that due to the lockdown and financial crisis, a proposal to rebate 50 per cent of the property tax has been passed in the General Body meeting held for MBMC Budget. He said that this would benefit both resident and commercial properties. Though the General Body may have passed the resolution, however, the final ball is in the state government’s court. Nevertheless, experts say that the Municipal Corporation has the right to exempt only up to 10 per cent.
Budgeting the budget
The issue of unwarranted expenditure by the MBMC has also raised in the meeting. BJP corporator Ravi Vyas said that the Mahasabha has passed a resolution not to bear the cost of mobile bills and non-essential vehicles of MBMC employees. Significantly, the civic body has borne the monthly mobile bill of its employees. MBMC also pay the vehicles allowance to many employees, which costs crores of rupees annually.
Online Property Tax
Mr Donde said, “Due to the pandemic, distribution of property-tax bill and recovery of taxes have been affected, tremendously.”
He appealed to the property owners to pay taxes online. “The functioning of the Municipal Corporation mostly depends on these taxes. Municipal Corporation will run smoothly if taxes paid on time. Property holders can also pay their taxes online by visiting www.mbmc.gov.in, an official MBMC’s website.
