‘BBMP burdening upright tax payers’

Bangalore: The BBMP, which has a severe shortage of funds, is looking to residents of the city to fill its empty coffers. Already squeezed by the high cost of living, citizens are burdened with a new tax. DC speaks to civic experts about the government's decision to levy 2 per cent transport cess on property tax.

Vivek Menon, urban expert and prominent adviser to BMLTA (DULT) said that he completely disapproves of the government’s direction to local bodies to collect the transport cess. Why should citizens be fleeced for the mismanagement of resources by the BBMP, he asks.

He says that if the BBMP is short of money it is because of the corruption within the organization. The BBMP is only burdening upright tax payers with more cess rather than bringing all properties under the tax net. It has potential to earn not less than Rs. 6,000 crore. At present, the BBMP is collecting less than 40 per cent of the tax.

“The BBMP must publish a social audit of the funds spent in the last three years on infrastructure development. They should be accountable for every paisa spent. When the roads in the city are so bad, with innumerable potholes, what right does the government and BBMP have to collect road tax and transport tax?” Menon questioned.

Swathi Ramanathan co-founder of Janaagraha, said that the local bodies must figure out their own revenue sources. Levying of transport tax is one of the ways to mop up revenue. But the move to collect additional cess or tax should be planned rather than reactive. The plan should be put before the public, she said.

Mukund N, member of Citizens Action Forum (CAF) said that the BBMP must adopt Public Private Partnership (PPP) to develop some of the roads and parks instead of spending money on shoddy work. Also, the elected represents must refrain from diverting funds for foreign junkets and other trivial pursuits.

The mismanagement of finance must be avoided. The BBMP is collecting tax from honest tax payers and has ignored the defaulters. The leakages must be plugged and 100 per cent tax collection must happen instead of burning holes in the pockets of tax payers, said Mukund.