AIPC flays Government on property tax hike and smart digital meters

GUWAHATI: The State Congress Secretary and President of the All India Professionals’ Congress (AIPC) Assam unit have condemned Guwahati Municipal Corporation in strong words for the increase in property tax by three to four times. Somani questioned the officials about whether they have been able to provide in a three- to four-fold manner while improving all the civic amenities.

Somani said that the GMC officials have increased the tax, as it has not increased for the last several years as claimed by the authorities. But the reality is that there has not been any improvement in the civic amenities for the last several years. Bad roads, a shortage of drinking water, potholes, a poor drainage system, and artificial floods are still unresolved in the city. Domestic waste remains dumped on the roadside for days, and there is no proper system of regular collection by GMC. Uncovered culverts and footpaths are still unattended by the GMC authorities, inviting serious accidents for pedestrians on a daily basis. The road conditions in the city have gone from bad to worse. Lighting the streets and painting divider railings just before the visits of the national VVIP political figures to the city and the renovation of existing parks in the city cannot be the benchmark for the city’s civic development. Somani questioned whether the GMC could pin point any one civic problem that they have been able to successfully resolve for the citizens. Therefore, this increase cannot be justified.

AIPC has demanded the rollback of the increased tax by GMC and has also urged the public to raise their protest against this move. Property tax hikes and APDCL digital smart meters have become tools for the BJP to loot its citizens. This has hit the citizens like a tsunami. The public is already under the burden of all-time high inflation, stated a press release.

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