Secunderabad Cantonment Board fails to provide basic civic services

Hyderabad: Despite receiving taxes the SCB has failed to provide basic civic amenities. The board lacks many things from drinking water to sanitation staff. It is already finding it difficult to pay electricity bill.

The residents of cantonments cannot access development funds as the Ministry of Defence and the Army are in the non-plan sector. State governments do not share their resources with cantonments. Cantonment boards have powers to raise resources through taxation, fees, lease and rentals of properties vested in them. The main sources of income of a cantonment board are local taxes unlike the GHMC which has many other sources.

Explaining why the SCB cannot meet demands officials said, “Our resources are limited, as bulk of the property is government-owned on which no tax can be levied. Cantonment boards do not have the resources that are available to municipalities. Cantonments are spread over large areas and the cost of providing amenities is high.”