Rajahmundry: Greater Rajahmundry Municipal Corporation (GRMC) will become a reality before 2019 polls with expected revenue pegged at about Rs 100 crore. Though 22 surrounding gram panchayats in Rajahmundry were proposed to be merged into the RMC a few years ago, the proposal was confined to include only 21 gram panchayats. Accordingly, the state government issued two GOs 94 and 99 to de-notify 21 gram panchayats and merged them into the municipal corporation in March 2103. However, a caveat was filed in the Hyderabad High Court challenging the two GOs issued by the state government. Subsequently, the High Court issued a stay order on implementation of two GOs in April, 2013.
At the time of issue of GOs, the state government had excluded Diwan Cheruvu gram panchayat for the reason that election was held in that gram panchayat by that time. Civic authorities say that the five-year term of Diwan Cheruvu gram panchayat will be concluded on the lines of RMC by the state to get ready for polls in 2019.
Diwan Cheruvu gram panchayat will also be included to be merged into Rajahmundry municipal corporation by taking the total number of gram panchayats to be merged as 22. However, the state government is supposed to issue a GO to that affect as the existing GOs are meant only for merger of 21 gram panchayats only. Civic authorities faced criticism for inordinate delay in getting the stay vacated to go ahead with the merger of gram panchayats as it is expected to help the civic body to expand its jurisdiction of control and earn more revenue that will help to provide better amenities to the people.
Legal sources say that unless the state government appeals to the High Court to list the case for hearing given the importance of the subject and urgency involved in it and rope in the Advocate General to do so, the case may not come for hearing even for years. Municipal corporation city planner V. Ram Kumar said, "We have been pursuing the case in the High Court to sort out the legal tangle on merger of 21 gram panchayats into municipal corporation and we expect early resolution of the issue."
On the other hand, civic authorities say that the demand for property tax for 2016-17 was generated for Rs 42 crore and out of it, so far, an amount of Rs 36 crore was realised. Similarly, for 2017-18, the authorities are expecting revenue to the tune of Rs 45 crore. In the event of merger of 22 gram panchayats, the civic authorities are expecting revenue ranging from Rs 75 crore to Rs 100 crore by 2019.
At present, the municipal corporation has been divided into 10 zones and five sub-zones and based on location of the area like posh or developing or under-developed and civic amenities being provided in such colonies, the civic authorities will fix tax slab per square kilometre. Deputy commissioner M.D. Phani Ram said, “Our tax demand for the year 2017-18 is Rs 45 crore and with the proposed merger of 22 gram panchayats, we expect our tax demand to go up by Rs 75 crore to Rs 100 crore by 2019."
