All opposition parties on Thursday staged a walkout from the State Legislative Council in protest against the hike in property tax in municipalities and municipal corporations.
Earlier, replying to a query submitted by MLCs Pogaku Yadagiri, SV Satish Kumar Reddy and Chereupally Seetha Ramulu, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister M Maheedhar Reddy admitted that the ceiling limit on increase on property taxes has been lifted in municipalities and municipal corporations. However, he denied that the hike was abnormal in both residential and non-residential areas.
Speaking on the issue, MLC Satish Kumar Reddy said that several municipalities and municipal corporations have increased the property taxes by 100 to 500 per cent. He accused the government of burdening the common man by increasing the taxes. However, the minister clarified that the state government had no role in the property tax hike as the subject was under the jurisdiction of the local bodies.
Not convinced with the minister's reply the members belonging to the TDP, CPI, CPM and TRS staged a walk out from the council in protest. (INN)
2011/8/17 7:48:06 TDP floor leader in GHMC Singi Reddy Srinivas Reddy on Wednesday demanded that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation restrain from increasing the property tax by five percent.
In a representation made to the Chief Minister Mr. N.Kiran Kumar Reddy, the TDP leader said the residents of GHMC were already suffering from G.O.Ms.No.88 relevant to hike of property tax from 1st April and penalty of 200 per cent on property tax. Hike in the property tax would burden the common man further. He said the GHMC residents are facing lot of problems due to continuous bandhs, agitations or dharnas and therefore, it would not be possible for them to pay additional tax.
Mr. Singi Reddy asked as to why the scientific method of property tax was not being implemented in the GHMC. He said the government has to supplement the GHMC till it achieves financial stability by giving an immediate package of Rs. 1,000 crore. (INN)
2012/4/4 8:49:48 Information Technology Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah on Wednesday slammed Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu for unnecessarily politicizing the power tariff hike issue to get mileage on it.
Talking to media persons, Ponnala Lakshmaiah said that the hike in power tariff would not affect the farmers and poor people in the State and it would affect 1.17 crore consumers marginally. “The tariff hike is minor and will not affect the poor people and farmers,” he claimed.
Stating that the government has reduced the tariff for consumer who are using between 50-100 units, Ponnala said that the government was committed to supply seven hours of power to the farmers at any cost. He said that the State Government's role was minor in increasing the power tariff. He accused Naidu of unnecessarily raising the controversy and staging protests and dharnas to get mileage on it.
The minister said that the people of the State would never believe Naidu and they would teach him a fitting lesson to his party in the next elections. “This time Naidu will not even get the position of opposition leader for his opportunistic politics,” he said.
Ponnala said that Naidu has been staging these cheap tricks with an eye on power since he is in opposition for eight years. (INN)
2011/10/27 8:17:18 The Lok Satta Party is planning to launch a united, non-partisan movement against arbitrary increase in property tax in municipalities.
In-charges of Lok Satta municipal committees, who met at the party headquarters here on Thursday with party Working President DVVS Varma in the chair, felt that the tax increase ranging from 500 to 1000 percent without any improvement in citizen services contravenes the Government’s own Assessment of Taxes Rules, 1990.
Participants pointed out that special officers, now ruling civic bodies in the absence of elected representatives, raised the tax capriciously. They cited an instance in which the tax on an apartment was raised from Rs.3000 to Rs.80000.
In a joint statement, Lok Satta leaders Katari Srinivasa Rao and K Omkar said that a Lok Satta Party team would visit municipal towns and cities in the first week of November to mobilize the public for an agitation. It would associate local chambers of commerce, ratepayers’ associations, resident welfare associations and other civic society representatives with the planned movement.
The party demands that the civic bodies improve their services in tune with the citizen’s charter and fix the property tax on a rational basis.
The Lok Satta Party would call for a ‘no-tax campaign’ if the authorities went ahead with the hike in the property tax without improving services concerning drinking water, sanitation, education, healthcare and roads. If the services are not commensurate with the tax paid, people can legitimately refuse to pay the tax, said Katari Srinivasa Rao. (INN)
2011/6/30 7:15:42 Even before a week is over, once again the UPA Government has allowed the Petroleum Companies to increase the commission of their dealers. Therefore, it slightly affects the Petrol and Diesel prices. There will be 27NP hike in Petrol price and 15NP hike in Diesel price with effect from Thursday mid night. Although, it is a minor hike in the prices, neither the UPA Government nor the Petroleum companies have bothered to make any announcement about the hike, perhaps fearing to face the ire of people.
2011/11/3 8:11:08 For the 5th time in this year-2011 Petroleum Companies have increased the petrol price today by Rs.1.82 per Ltr. The new prices will come into effect from Thursday midnight itself. As usually, the petroleum companies have transferred the blame onto international market for the present hike and as usually tomorrow we may watch the opposition parties staging dharnas and marches all over the country for a day or two demanding immediate withdrawal of the price hike, to prove that they are standing by people of the country. Earlier, the Government used to slash the prices fearing to face the ire of the political parties. But now, the Government has wipes-off its hands from the Petro Products and it gives a free hand to Petroleum Companies. Hence, the routine protests and pickets by opposition parties are not at all worries the ruling UPA Government.
Once the dust settles, then the Petroleum Companies are ready to increase the Diesel and Domestic Gas prices. We should understand that, it is just a matter of time only.
Government has increased the prices of Diesel, Domestic gas and Kerosene from Friday midnight. Diesel price hikes by Rs.3/Ltr, Domestic Gas Rs.50 per Cylinder and Kerosene Rs.2/Ltr. Petroleum Minister Jaipal Reddy stated that, the latest hike in the petro products wont affect the poor and common man as it can be easily digestible for them. He said it is inevitable for him to approve this hike as there was no other option to save the Petroleum companies from submerging under heavy losses. On the other hand, he also gave relief to Petroleum companies by reducing 5% Customs duty on Diesel and Petrol and Excise duty from Rs.4.60 to Rs.2.00 on Diesel.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukharji has stated that, the latest hike wont much affect the inflation which is now at 9 points. But, the experts opine that, it is going to reach cross 10 points very soon with this hike, which makes poor and common man lives miserable.
Opposition parties have condemned the hike and gearing-up to stage dharnas in protest against the hike.
2012/3/31 4:53:28 Coming down heavily on the State Government for hike in power charges, YSR Congress party on Saturday said such anti-people policies will reflect in the ensuing by-elections and the new tariff coming close on the heels of the adjournment of Assembly shows the attitude of Congress towards common man.
If the hike, affecting all sections of society, is not rolled back, YSR Congress will go to people and send a loud and clear message that the hike in power charges is against the poll promise of Congress Party which retained power with hard efforts of YSR, said spokesperson of YSR Congress Party, BajireddyGoverdhan,
Unless the hike is rolled back and the State Government goes in for alternative sources to meet the growing demand like buying power, we will continue our protest at various forums as this goes against the Congress manifesto, he said.
“YSR has promised in the 2009 elections that there would be no hike in power charges for five years and brought Congress to power. The increase in tariff, coming after nine years, to net Rs 4,500 crores is sheer inefficiency of the Krian Kumar government and irresponsible behavior of main opposition TDP,” he said.
Terming Kiran Kumar Reddy as an inefficient Chief Minister, he said, the State Government is trying to defend the hike in power tariff showing the recommendation of Electricity Regulatory Commission (ERC) as the basis, but the same points were given to YSR as well and he did not take cognizance as he was committed to respect the poll promise.
The State has already gone back on 9-hour power supply to agriculture sector and this bout of hike in power charges will be affecting agriculture, domestic and industrial sectors as well, he said. A small family using 100 units will be paying Rs 50 additionally due to this hike.
Kiran Kumar Reddy’s inefficiency has come to the fore again when he said that farmers using power for more than 7 hours should be paying Rs 3.25 per unit and the Opposition TDP, which tried to project itself as a protector of farmers, did not open its mouth. The two parties will be taught a lesson in the coming days, he said.
Industries will have to dole out Rs 2,300 crores after the hike. Already industries are facing acute shortage and are on the verge of closure further burden will create unemployment, as the industries have no option but to shut down.
During similar crisis earlier, he said, YSR had purchased power from other States and helped industries and farming community. On the other hand, Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy has made it clear that his agenda is only to please Sonia Gandhi and World Bank. (INN)
2007/10/11 8:23:32 The state government has come up with new norms for registration of properties. According to the new guidelines, no property would be registered unless accompanied by a digital photograph. The buyer of the property has to get himself photographed in front of the property and get a digital photograph along with the date and time on the photograph. The photo has to be in 12x16 size. A road map giving the details of the property should also be enclosed along with the registration documents.
This new rule has come as a severe blow to people in rural areas. Many small villages do hot have a proper studio, let alone a studio equipped with a digital camera.
2012/2/9 12:44:05 The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is likely to start another phase of Building Regularisation Scheme soon.
This was announced by GHMC Commissioner MT Krishna Babu while addressing the GHMC's General Special Council here on Thursday. He said the corporation was in receipt of over 6,000 petitions seeking regularisation of buildings. Therefore, the GHMC is expecting to receive a huge revenue through the BRS scheme.
The GHMC Commissioner assured that the target of Rs 720 crore property tax would be realised without affecting an increase the property tax.
However, to the surprise of everyone, the Congress party played the role of opposition in the council on Thursday. Deputy Mayor G Rajkumar said that the budget of Rs 3,600 crore presented by GHMC Mayor Mohammad Majid Hussain was unrealistic. Congress floor leader K Venkatesh said alleged that instead of focusing on providing basic amenities, the GHMC officials were focused on collection of bribe in the guise of property tax.
Venkatesh alleged that of nearly 5,000 hoardings in the GHMC limits, Advertisement Tax was being collected only from 2,000 hoardings. Reacting to these allegations, MIM's Hussaini Alam corporator Mir Zulfeqar Ali reminded Venkatesh that he was not in opposition and an ally of MIM.
Telugu Desam Party floor leader Singireddy Srinivas Reddy accused the GHMC officials of harassing the citizens in the name of property tax. He said that the budget for the year 2011-12 was of Rs 3,200 crore and it could not be realised. Therefore, he ridiculed the budget of Rs 3,600 crore for the year 2012-13.
MIM floor leader Mohammad Nazreeuddin appreciated the budget and hoped that the GHMC areas would witness development in the next one year. BJP's Bangari Prakash too criticised the budget.
MBT corporator Amjadullah Khan Khaled was removed from the council hall using marshals for trying to stall the proceedings. The Mayor did not allow him to speak during the budget presentation.
After the budget was passed, the TDP corporators staged a dharna before the Mayor's chambers demanding increase in funds from Rs 45 crore to Rs 100 crore to provide drinking water for surrounding municipalities. (INN)
2010/12/14 16:31:20 Once again, Petroleum Companies in India hikes the petrol price by Rs.2.95 per liter with effect from Tuesday midnight. Bharat Petroleum Company is first to announce the hike, which will be followed by the rest with a day or two gap. Ever since, the Union Government has lifted its control over the petroleum companies on June 26th this year and given them a freehand to decide the price of their products, they have increased the Petrol prices four times during the last four months. But, since it was below one Rupee, no one feels the pinch and the hike goes unnoticed. But, the latest hike of Rs.3/ ltr. creates havoc in the country. Especially, middle class and lower middle class people who mainly depend on two wheelers to carry out their day to day businesses feel the burden. As usually, the Petroleum Companies transferred the blame onto the hike of Crude oil price in international market which reaches to $90/ barrel. And also as usually, opposition parties in India gearing up to start protests all over the country.
While, the two other petroleum companies Hindustan Petroleum and Indian Oil Corporation are ready to sledge the people with their new price tags soon, all the three companies also proposed a hike in Diesel price by Rs.2/ ltr. Though, they have free to raise the prices, they formally inform the Union Government and discuss with it before announcing the price hike.
This time also, the three companies have intimated the Union Government about their intentions to increase the Diesel price. The Government has asked them for one week time for giving them reply. This means, the Diesel prices also going to increase from 22nd of this month, which perhaps, the people of the country should consider as the Christmas and New Year gifts from petroleum Companies.
Dr JP calls for unity among opposition parties against corruption
2012/3/20 4:12:32 Lok Satta president Dr Jaya Prakash Narayan on Tuesday called upon all opposition parties to come on a common platform to press for effective and strong law to give more teeth to deal with the corruption in the State.
Talking to media persons at Assembly Media Point, Jayaprakash Narayana said that the rampant corruption in the State could be effectively dealt with by giving more powers to existing constitutional body Lokayukta and autonomy to Anti-Corruption Bureau. Apart from these measures, he said that the government should frame laws to recover property from those found guilty of corruption.
Admitting that the corruption has spread its tentacles to every nook and corner, he appealed to the opposition parties to mount pressure on the government to draft strong laws instead of politicizing the issue of 26 controversial GOs to get mileage. “The opposition party leaders should make collective efforts in this direction instead of wasting public money in the name of futile discussions and precious time of the House,” he pointed out.
Dr JP predicted that the State might witness political crisis if the government and the opposition parties did not relent and adopt confrontationist path on the issue. (INN)
2012/3/20 7:37:34 All opposition parties on Tuesday staged walk-out from the State Legislative Assembly in protest against the State Government's failure to announce the date for discussion on the issue of 'tainted' ministers and controversial GOs in the House.
When the House met in the evening at about 4.40 pm, Deputy Speaker Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka allowed the presentation of the Government Bills. However, members of all opposition parties stood up from their seats and demanded that the government announce that the issue of corrupt ministers would be discussed in the House on March 28, as decided in the meeting of Business Advisory Council. However, when the government continued with the presentation of the bill, barring Congress party, members of all other parties walked out of the House in protest.
Later, addressing a joint press conference, the leaders of oppositions parties slammed the State Government of going back on its words. TDP's deputy floor leader Gali Muddu Krishnamma Naidu said that the government has cheated all opposition parties by not announcing the date. He said the government was not giving any value to the decisions taken during the BAC meeting. He said all opposition parties would fight unitedly against the government on the corruption issue.
MIM floor leader Akbaruddin Owaisi said that the government's attitude was not correct and it has cheated all the opposition parties on the issue. He said his party, along side other opposition parties, would fight with the government on the issue of corruption.
TRS floor leader Etala Rajender alleged that the ruling Congress party was trying to suppress the voice of the opposition parties. Lok Satta's Dr Jaya Prakash Narayan said that due to government's behaviour, for the first time after being elected as MLA, he staged a walk-out from the House. However, he said that the government's attitude has united all the opposition parties on the corruption issue.
CPM's J Ranga Reddy, CPI's K Sambasiva Rao and BJP's E Lakshminarayana also condemned the ruling Congress party's behaviour. (INN)
2012/4/1 6:43:18 Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday announced that his party would organise large scale protests against the increase in power tariff.
In a statement, the TRS president condemned the hike in power tariff and said that it would further burden the common man who was already hit by inflation and other taxes. Demanding immediate withdrawal of hike, he said that the new tariff would break the back bone of common man.
KCR announced that the TRS would organised massive rallies and dharna across the Telangana region on April 3. He said similar protests would be organised till the government rollback the hike in the power tariff. (INN)
All GHMC units to remain open on Sunday: Property tax payments
2011/7/30 8:31:51 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation Commissioner MT Krishna Babu on Saturday said that all E-Sevas would be functioning from 8 AM to 8 PM on Sunday, July 30 to enable the tax payers to pay their property taxes without penalty.
Mr Krishna Babu appealed to the tax payers to avail this opportunity and pay property tax in time for the development of the city.
The GHMC chief reminded that the last date for payment of first half year Property Tax without penalty for the year 2011-12 is Sunday and added that the GHMC Treasuries, Citizen Service Centers at Circle Offices, the E-Seva Centres would be functioning on that day.
Apart from this, the Head Office will remain open from 10 AM to 5 PM so that the property owners can avail the services and pay the property tax, he added.
Incidentally, office bearers of Bhimnagar Welfare Association LIC Colony, behind NTR Stadium, met Mr Krishna Babu on Saturday and handed over the Property Tax cheques amounting of Rs 1,88,086 of their colony consisting of 94 houses.
The GHMC Commissioner appreciated the efforts of the governing body of the Welfare Association and said that timely payment of property tax from citizens will help GHMC in implementing various citizen friendly initiatives for the betterment of civic infrastructure.(INN)
2007/12/18 7:24:53 The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation has now come up with a scheme too woo citizens into paying up their property tax. The GHMC has announced a cash prize of Rs. 10 lakhs.
All the house owners who pay their property tax and also clear their arrears will be eligible to take part in a lucky draw. The winner will get a cash prize of 10 lakhs.
The GHMC now has the onerous task of collecting about 250 crore by way of tax from the people in the twin cities and surrounding areas.
YS Jagan has announced that he will sit on a deeskha once again. Jagan sat on a lakshya deeksha in Vijayawada for two days and later sat on a one day deeksha at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.
Jgan will not sit on a one day deeksha at Visakhapatnam on January 22. The deeksha is in protest against the hike in petrol hike.
2011/12/28 2:57:05 The main Opposition TDP on Monday demanded the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to withdraw the proposal of hike in power charges.
“The Congress government should keep up its poll promises by rolling back the power charges to the pre-2000 tariff to retain the peoples’ confidence,” the party senior leader T Devender Goud told reporters at the party headquarters NTR Trust Bhavan.
In the 2004 election manifesto, Congress has promised-- free power to farmers, 12 hours power supply, roll back power charges to 2000 level, free power to poor, lift irrigation and aqua farmers, pending power connections to be cleared in 100 days, new applications in 30 days and review of all Power Purchase Agreements.
However, the Congress Governments of YSR, Rosaiah and Kiran Kumar had not achieved any of their poll promises in power sector particularly the rollback of tariff to pre -2000 rates and also not to hike power five years, he said.
Instead the government has hiked power tariff to the tune of Rs 3,678 crore, the latest being Rs 650 crore by Kiran Kumar Reddy government immediately after he took over, Goud said. (INN)
2008/6/4 7:19:25 The back in the saddle TRS chief K Chandrashekar Rao has given a bandh call in protest against the hike in petro, diesel and cooking gas prices. The union cabinet hiked the prices of Petrol by 5 rupees a litre, Diesel by 3 rupees a litre and cooking gas by 50 rupees a cylinder. KCR asked the people of Telangana to observe a bandh in Telangana over the petro hike on June 6.
Pay for damage to public property to get bail: Court
2011/10/24 8:11:19 (IANS) The Kerala High Court Monday reiterated that those who are arrested for damaging public property would get bail only after depositing money equivalent to the loss that is caused.
The court said if at the time of deciding the case it was proved that the accused was innocent, the money deposited by him at the time of seeking bail would be returned.
Justice K.T. Sankaran said this while disposing off a petition urging a review of the court's earlier judgement on the same lines.
The court said that, of late, there had been a spurt in destruction of public property and hence he had decided to stick to the earlier judgment.
The Congress-led state government earlier told the court that it was not opposed to the earlier judgment because there was an apex court ruling to this effect.
Last month, the state witnessed a state-wide shutdown called by the Left parties and the Bharatiya Janata Party to protest the hike in petrol prices.
The capital witnessed a similar shutdown called by the Left parties three days before the statewide shutdown.
In both the shutdowns, numerous state-owned transport buses were stoned and a few government vehicles were also attacked by the protesters.
Early this month, activists of the student wing of the Left parties went on the rampage and damaged state-owned buses and government vehicles.
Labour and Rehabilitation Minister Shibhu Baby John who requested the state government last month to set up a special court for speedy trial of cases related to destruction of public property welcomed the court order.
"This is certainly a welcome judgment and this is going to provide a fillip to our work to set up a special court to try destruction of public property cases," said John.
Communist Party of India-Marxist Lok Sabha member M.B. Rajesh termed the judgment draconian.
"We wish that the court will seriously review this judgment because it is not fair to collect a deposit to the amount equivalent to the loss incurred," said Rajesh.
2011/12/17 17:32:48 Kolkata, Dec 17 (IANS) Britannia Industries, India's largest biscuits and bakery company, Saturday indicated that it may raise prices of its products due to soaring distribution and raw materials costs, but the overall price hike, if it occurs, would not be more than six percent.
‘We would not like to hike prices but, if needed, the overall hike will not be more than six percent,’ Britannia Industries director (health and wellness) Anuradha Narasimhan said here.
‘While our staple products like Thin Arrowroot, Cream Cracker biscuits may see a price increase of 4-5 percent, prices of premium products like Bourbon, Pure Magic etc will be increased by 8-9 percent,’ he said.
The confectionery major is facing increasing distribution cost due to high petrol prices and also soaring raw materials cost as prices of ingredients like palm oil, sugar, milk and nuts are spiralling.
Information Technology Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah on Wednesday slammed Telugu Desam president N Chandrababu Naidu for unnecessarily politicizing the power tariff hike issue to get mileage on it.
The Lok Satta Party is planning to launch a united, non-partisan movement against arbitrary increase in property tax in municipalities.
Even before a week is over, once again the UPA Government has allowed the Petroleum Companies to increase the commission of their dealers. Therefore, it slightly affects the Petrol and Diesel prices. There will be 27NP hike in Petrol price and 15NP hike in Diesel price with effect from Thursday mid night. Although, it is a minor hike in the prices, neither the UPA Government nor the Petroleum companies have bothered to make any announcement about the hike, perhaps fearing to face the ire of people.
Coming down heavily on the State Government for hike in power charges, YSR Congress party on Saturday said such anti-people policies will reflect in the ensuing by-elections and the new tariff coming close on the heels of the adjournment of Assembly shows the attitude of Congress towards common man.
Lok Satta president Dr Jaya Prakash Narayan on Tuesday called upon all opposition parties to come on a common platform to press for effective and strong law to give more teeth to deal with the corruption in the State.
Telangana Rashtra Samithi president K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday announced that his party would organise large scale protests against the increase in power tariff.
The main Opposition TDP on Monday demanded the Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy to withdraw the proposal of hike in power charges.
