AAP WILL ABOLISH RESIDENTIAL HOUSE TAX IF VOTED TO POWER IN MCD: KEJRIWAL

Posted on March 25, 2017

AAP will abolish residential house tax if voted to power in MCD: Kejriwal

• Pending dues will also be waived off
• Will turn around finances of loss-making MCDs within a year
• All MCD workers will receive salaries by the 7th of each month: Kejriwal
• Will bring in people’s participation in running of MCDs

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced today that if the Aam Aadmi Party comes to power in the upcoming elections for the three Municipal Councils of Delhi (MCD), the party would abolish Residential house tax, currently levied by the municipal bodies. Kejriwal said that there was corruption in the collection of this tax and that it was wholly unjustified. He also announced that all pending dues of house taxes will be waived off by all the MCDs.

Kejriwal also promised that within a year of coming to power in the MCDs, the AAP administration would turn around the finances of the loss-making municipal bodies. New sources of increasing revenue would be explored to improve the financial health of MCDs. The AAP Government in Delhi has already demonstrated that even after fulfilling it’s promises on free water and cheap electricity, an honest Government is able to maintain healthy finances.

The National Convener of AAP also assured all employees of the  MCDs that after the AAP takes over, they will receive salaries in their accounts on or before the 7th of each month.
During a press conference addressed by Delhi CM and National Convener of AAP Arvind Kejriwal at his official residence, he said, “Just like the huge mandate given to the Aam Aadmi Party by the people of Delhi to run the Delhi Government, I am confident they will also repose their faith in us to fix the ailing municipal bodies of Delhi. As soon as the AAP comes to power in the MCDs with a full majority, we will abolish the collection of house residential tax and waive off all pending dues with immediate effect. We are making this promise with full responsibility and after thorough study and planning.

“After coming to power in Delhi, our government kept it’s promise of halving electricity bills and offering 20k liters of water for free for each family, within one month. Many from the Opposition had said that this would bankrupt the government, but actually the Delhi Jal Board’s revenue increased by Rs 178 crores. We run an honest Government that takes pro-people steps without harming the financial health of the government, and we will do the same with the MCDs with respect to abolition of residential house tax,” said Kejriwal.

“We also assure the people of Delhi and employees of MCDs that we will pull the municipal bodies out of the losses and ensure that all of them get paid their salaries on or before the 7th of every month. We will find many ways to improve the revenue generation of the MCDs. We will ensure that corruption is not allowed, and this itself will help increase revenue generation. Together the Councillors of BJP and Congress have looted the MCDs on a massive scale, and will have to face the consequences of their corruption. They must answer to people how within 5-10 years they have moved from scooters to Mercedes and BMWs. We will end this loot and make sure the money spent by MCDs reaches the right people and right causes,” said AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal.

“We will bring in more participation from among the RWAs and the citizens in matters of cleanliness and maintenance of parks, so that these services can be improved. We have seen how BJP and Congress Councillors relay the same roads over and over on paper and siphon off all the money. The MCD has spent Rs 7 lakhs on fountains that never worked.”

The MCDs have become a den or corruption and misgovernance. Thousands of ghost employees are paid salaries, even as genuine employees are not paid on time. The AAP will put an end to this regime of corruption after coming to power. The party will enhance the level of participation in governance among citizens and evolve Delhi as a model for the entire country and the world.