HYDERABAD: Apparently with an eye on the ensuing elections to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), Municipal Administration Minister KT Rama Rao on Saturday announced what he called Diwali gift to the residents of Hyderabad which comprised 50 per cent waiver in property tax for the owners of residential houses whose tax liability is up to Rs 15,000.
The State government extended similar benefit to 140 municipalities in the rest of the State but it is applicable to house owners whose tax is a maximum of Rs 10,000.As the air is thick with expectation that the GHMC elections might be announced any time, the TRS government appeared keen on striking a pre-emptive blow on the Opposition BJP and the Congress by announcing benefits to the residents.
The TRS, having suffered an unexpected defeat in the hands of the BJP in the byelection for Dubbaka Assembly seat, is bent on preventing the BJP from making any further inroads into the GHMC, which is TRS’ pocket-borough.
The government also announced a hike of Rs 3,000 per month in wages of outsourced sanitary public health staff and other fieldlevel workers. Their pay would now increase from Rs 14,500 to Rs 17,500 per month.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced payment of 50 per cent pending salary arrears for two months to RTC employees. He issued instructions for release of Rs 150 crore for the purpose. Going to the rescue of city commuters, the Chief Minister, at a review meeting at Pragati Bhavan on Sunday, ordered restoration of 50 per cent of city bus services.
Another development which suggested that the polls to the civic body might be notified any time was the transfer of five ACPs. Now Kacheguda, LB Nagar, Banjara Hills, Punjagutta and Shamshabad will have new ACPs. Rama Rao, while announcing tax rebate to house owners on Saturday, also said that the Rs 10,000 cash relief to the families affected by the recent rains will be resumed and that those who had not received the help could apply for it through Mee-Seva centres. The property tax waiver announced, after approval by the State Cabinet which met on Friday, would benefit 13.72 lakh families in the GHMC limits.
It will place Rs 194.4 crore burden on the State. As regards tax benefit to property owners in 140 ULBs, it will cover 17.68 lakh families for which the burden on the State government will be Rs 130 crore. Across the State, a total of 31.40 lakh families will benefit from this Diwali gift in the present financial year, which works out to a burden Rs 326.48 crore on the State. The Minister also clarified that those who had already paid their property tax, the rebate will be adjusted in the tax payable by them next year.
As regards the Rs 10,000 cash relief for rain-affected families in Hyderabad, Rama Rao said the State government will continue the exercise through Mee Seva centres until all beneficiaries are covered. The families who want to avail the benefit should apply at the nearest Mee Seva centres by making a payment of Rs 20 and the relief money would be paid to them at their door steps by officials or would be credited to their bank accounts if they furnish their bank account details. So far, the State government has disbursed Rs 470 crore out of the budgeted Rs 550 crore to 4.75 lakh families earmarked to assist people distressed by recent heavy rains and flooding in Hyderabad last month.