Meeting held to discuss hike in municipal tax in Doomdooma

A CORRESPONDENT

DOOMDOOMA, April 13: After an exorbitant hike in municipal tax by the Doomdooma Municipal Board (DMB), there was widespread public protests over the issue. Consequently, a public meeting was convened by DMB on Wednesday at Doomdooma Marwari Panchayati Bhaban to have a discussion on the issue.

On behalf of Doomdooma Taxpayers’ Committee, Dhiren Deka initiated the discussion while other speakers like former ward commissioners Gobinda Phookan, Jitua Deka, AJYCP Doomdooma Committee secretary Kalyan Moran, journalist Arjun Baruah and others too put forward their opinions and urged the DMB not to enhance the taxes beyond 10 per cent of the existing amount in view of various economic constraints being faced by the general public in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MLA Rupesh Gowala gave a patient hearing and to the great relief of the taxpayers, assured not to enhance the existing tax rates beyond 10 per cent. However, both MLA Gowala and chairperson Kanta Bhattacharya said that since the holding tax had not been reassessed for the last 25 years since 1999, some increased tax would be levied on the holdings that had been extended/reconstructed during that period and the commercial houses rented out by the municipality but sublet by the owners concerned.