SDMC budget: 45 pc hike in base unit area value; Rs 10 cr for 'Swachh Bharat'

A hike of 45 per cent in the Base Unit Area Value for property tax assessment, Rs 10 crore for sanitation under the 'Clean India' campaign, and running parking sites in partnership with DIMTS are among the proposals made by the SDMC in its budget.
Municipal Commissioner Manish Gupta presented the Revised Budget Estimate 2014-15 and Budget Estimate 2015-16 today in a special meeting of Standing Committee of the South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) today.
"A hike of 45 per cent in Base Unit Area Value for property tax assessment is proposed. However, there would be no change in house tax rates...From next Financial Year, a professional tax has also been proposed, out of which Rs 200 crore is expected to be collected," Gupta said.

The proposed hike, however, was rejected by both the Chairman of the Standing Committee Subhash Arya as well as the Congress councillor and Leader of Opposition Farhad Suri.
"An additional fund of Rs 10 crore has also been proposed for the corporation to be used under the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan'. This will supplement the Rs 130 crore received for sanitation works from the Delhi government," Gupta said.
"800 toilets in schools under the mission, 94 modern toilets in markets and other places, to be constructed in PPP mode, which would have special facilities for women have also been proposed," he said.

Among other proposals are running parking sites in collaboration with DIMTS (Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System) on the lines of New Delhi Municipal Council.
The Meherchand Market is also proposed to be redeveloped after receiving FAR (Floor Area Ratio)-related approval from the DDA.
Setting up of four new anti-rabies centres, development of herbal corners in 20 parks, 100-bed hospital in Lajpat Nagar, and two waste-to-energy plants subject to allotment of land by DDA, the budget said.