RMC finances proposals: Focus on eco-friendly mobility & well being, tax charges unchanged

NO INCREASE in tax charges, no new levies, proposals to develop two new sports activities complexes, fireplace stations, well being centres, addition of 100 electrical buses to the fleet of metropolis bus service, and making the cycle-sharing mission a pan-city service have been among the many highlights of the Rs 2,275-crore finances of the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) for 2021-22 that was submitted Monday by civic commissioner Udit Agrawal to the Standing Committee.
The measurement of the finances for the upcoming fiscal is Rs 143 crore greater than the present yr’s authentic finances estimates of Rs 2,132 crore and Rs 771 crore increased than its revised estimates.
At press convention, after presenting the finances to the civic physique’s Standing Committee chairman Pushkar Patel, the municipal commissioner mentioned the main target of the finances was on higher implementation and enforcement.

He mentioned as individuals are popping out of a Covid-19 lockdown, which had put the Indian economic system in a recession, he has not proposed to hike taxes or introduce new levies. “Instead, the focus will be on aggressive recovery of tax arrears. As on date, around Rs 950 crore is overdue to RMC towards property tax. Of this, around Rs 350 crore is recoverable easily. To streamline the recovery, a property tax recovery cell will be set up,” Agarwal mentioned.
The finances additionally proposes to maintain the property tax charge unchanged at Rs 11 per sq. metre for residential properties and Rs 22 per sq m for non-residential premises.
“Currently, we are collecting Rs 840 annual water charge for domestic connections. Though revenue income generated through this tax covers only 14.41 per cent of revenue expenditure , we have decided to not increase the tax this year in view of the pandemic,” Agrawal mentioned. Revenue expenditure underneath the pinnacle is estimated to stay Rs 315.44 crore, he mentioned.
The finances additionally tasks income expenditure of waterworks division at Rs 127 crore, strong waste administration division at Rs 56.62 crore, sewage administration division at Rs 29.30 crore, amongst others. The civic commissioner mentioned tax assortment goal for 2021-22 has been set at Rs 340 crore, together with the restoration of overdue taxes. “Our tax collection income will remain high as we have identified and added 8,000 new properties to the tax network,” Agrawal mentioned.
To encourage tax compliance, Agarwal proposed to provide 10 per cent rebate to these paying advance property tax by May-end and one per cent extra rebate to those that make the funds by way of digital transactions. The rebate shall be 5 per cent if advance tax is paid in June. He proposed to proceed the scheme of extending extra 5 per cent rebate to girls property homeowners.

The RMC finances proposes to maintain car registration tax unchanged at one per cent of automobiles priced as much as Rs 1 lakh, and two per cent of the worth of automobiles priced above Rs 1 lakh. The income by way of this levy would is estimated to go as much as Rs 19 core from the present yr’s estimate of Rs 17 crore.
Agrawal has proposed to proceed Rs 5,000 subsidy to residents buying electrical automobiles and Rs 1,000 subsidy to these buying bicycles. “To reduce GHG emission, we are in the process of purchasing 50 electric buses by March end. In the next fiscal, we propose to add 100 e-buses to the fleet of Rajkot Mass Transport Limited,” he mentioned. The finances additionally proposes two new city well being centres within the areas which have been merged into RMC limits not too long ago.
The Standing Committee will examine and evaluation the finances proposals after which current it within the basic board of the civic physique.