GHAZIABAD: In a meeting on Wednesday, GMC board rejected a proposal to align house tax with the DM circle rate. This decision came amidst ongoing tensions between mayor Sunita Dayal and municipal commissioner Vikramaditya Singh Malik.
State cabinet minister and Sahibabad MLA Sunil Kumar Sharma attended the meeting with Muradnagar MLA Ajitpal Tyagi.
“Despite councillors opposing the hike, GMC had been sending notices arbitrarily, demanding house tax akigned with the DM circle rate. The GMC board on Saturday, however, struck down the proposal. The consumers can breathe easy,” said Mayor Sunita Dayal.
The GMC had implemented a 10% house tax hike in Jan 2023, and aligning it with the DM circle rate added further financial pressure on residents, added Dayal.
GMC officials argued that the tax hike would have increased the corporation’s revenue, as Ghaziabad’s house tax rate is the lowest among 17 municipalities in the state. Over Rs 185 crore has already been collected this financial year, including from the hiked rate. A GMC official said that the residents who have paid the increased tax will see adjustments next year.
The hike had become a major contention between GMC officials and the mayor. The matter had also reached the CM’s office.
Additionally, the board approved bringing 13 new commercial activities under the trade licence fee ambit.
“A committee will be formed to assess the fees, with a final decision expected in the next board meeting,” the official added.
The state govt has mandated municipalities to levy a trade licence fee on commercial activities. A total of 39 such commercial activities were brought under the purview, which included hotels, private clinics, pathology centres, etc.
However, a few commercial activities such as gymnasiums, beauty parlours, spa centres, coaching institutes, jewellery showrooms, and branded apparel and sportswear outlets, were not included in the list.
Fees proposed by GMC include Rs 2,000 for non-air-conditioned gyms, Rs 5,000 for air-conditioned gyms, and Rs 3,000 for spa centres. Coaching institutes will pay Rs 2,000, while jewellery showrooms and branded apparel outlets will be charged Rs 5,000 and Rs 4,000, respectively. Sports academies offering single sports will pay up to Rs 10,000 annually while those offering multiple sports will pay up to Rs 20,000.
