SDMC to give 1 pc rebate to tax payers for promoting greenery

In a move that will help preserve the environment and earn more revenue, SDMC today decided to provide a one per cent rebate to the property tax payers provided they grow plants and increase greenery in their houses and other buildings.
The standing committee of South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC) today took this decision which will benefit about 3.8 lakh property tax payers living in the municipal corporation area.
"We have decided to give one per cent rebate to property tax payers for promoting greenery at their premises as they can easily grow plants in their courtyards or terrace," Chairman of the standing committee Radhey Shyam Sharma said.

The rebate will be provided to those property tax payers who receive a certificate verifying their contribution to saving the environment by the Horticulture Department of SDMC.
Horticulture Department will issue the certificates online to applicants. It will also draft terms and conditions of eligibility for getting the tax rebate, Sharma said.
In another important decision the standing committee decided to "soon" implement the Municipal Valuation Committee report.

As a result of agreeing to implement the MVC report, the standing committee also decided not to implement the 25 per cent increase in property tax base value and the new professional tax proposed in his budget speech by the SDMC commissioner.

"The standing committee decided to keep the base value for residential properties as such without effecting any change. However, it decided to increase the use factor (a system to calculate property tax) for three and five star hotels, shopping malls and properties of business houses," Sharma said.
The committee has decided to fix use factor for commercial properties to six although it was proposed to be eight by the MVC report, he said.
The decision will translate in increased property tax on commercial properties without any change in the existing rates in case of residential properties, he said.