Congress demands withdrawal of hike in circle rates

A day after Delhi government increased the circle rates by 20 per cent, Congress today demanded withdrawal of this "anti-people decision" immediately.
"The steep hike in circle rate has created deep resentment among Delhiites. We demand that this anti-people decision by the Delhi administration be withdrawn immediately," DPCC chief Arvinder Singh Lovely said.
He also said BJP, which had promised to bring good days, was now scheming to keep out the poor and the middle class from Delhi forever with this steep hike in circle rate.
"On the direction of the BJP-led Central government, circle rates have been increased in the national capital. This step will not boost the revenue collection of the government, but this decision would definitely prevent the poor people from owning a house in Delhi," Lovely added.

DPCC chief spokesperson Mukesh Sharma also said that with new circle rates, owning a house will now be beyond the reach of the common people.
"Owning a house would now be beyond the reach of the ordinary people, and even a rented house would prove to be unaffordable for them," Sharma said.

He also questioned how colonies such as Rohini, Vasant Kunj, Mayfair Garden, Janakpuri and Uttam Nagar could be weighed on the same scale, when they have been categorised as residential colonies.
"This categorisation of colonies also include industrial areas, posh colonies, resettlement colonies and unauthorised colonies, and applying the same circle rates on these colonies was against the rule of law and was totally impractical," the Congress leader said.

Yesterday, as per the decision approved by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung, Delhi government increased the circle rates by up to 20 per cent with an aim to check black money component in sale and purchase transactions.