Bengalureans have to pay 15 per cent more tax for waste management

The BBMP is all set to impose a cess of 15 percent for waste management on property tax in the City and this will be presented in the next Council meeting. If this is approved an additional burden will fall on property tax payers in the City increasing the tax by 35 to 40 per cent. Until now tax was being collected separately for housing, commercial complex, industrial building, hotels, Kalyana Mantap and nursing homes.  Now, all have to pay 15 per cent of their taxes as solid waste management cess. 

The BBMP is all set to impose a cess of 15 percent for waste management on property tax in the City and this will be presented in the next Council meeting. If this is approved an additional burden will fall on property tax payers in the City, reported Kannada Prabha.

It can be recalled that 2 years ago property tax was increased by 20 to 25 per cent.  With the proposed cess on solid waste management the increase in property tax in 2 years amounts to 35 to 40 per cent.

Until now tax was being collected separately for housing, commercial complex, industrial building, hotels, Kalyana Mantap and nursing homes.  Now, all have to pay 15 per cent of their taxes as solid waste management cess.  For establishments that general large scale waste and if they install waste treatment plants then a discount of 50 per cent will be given to them, meaning they will have to pay 7.5 per cent of cess.

The BBMP is incurring an expense of Rs 500 crore annually for waste disposal.  But the tax collected for disposal of waste is Rs 40 crores. Hence by levying 15 percent cess on solid waste management around Rs 300 crores will be collected.  Solid waste division joint commissioner Sarfraz Khan said to collect 15 percent cess on solid waste management was proposed from a long time and only now it has been formulated and put up for approval.