The Telangana assembly has passed a municipal bill, providing for self-assessment of property tax, demolition of unauthorised constructions and granting of building permissions through online facilities.
The Telangana assembly, on July 19, 2019, passed a municipal bill, which proposes citizen-friendly initiatives, such as self-assessment of property tax and tough measures including disqualification of elected members, for failure to ensure survival of 85% of plants under the green drive. The Telangana Municipalities Bill, 2019, also provides for demolition of unauthorised constructions without notice and building permissions through online facility, for buildings coming up on an area of up to 500 sq metres, with a height of the ceiling at 10 metres.
“If an unauthorised construction is started, no notice will be given, it will be demolished. It will be an immediate demolition, in case of unauthorised construction,” chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who moved the bill, said. The bill also provides for self-certification for paying property tax. It proposes a penalty of up to 25 times, if a landlord is found to have furnished wrong information. The veracity of the claims would be checked by flying squads, under the supervision of district collectors. Rao also announced that the urban poor can construct a house (ground plus one floor) on a small plot, without having to apply for permission from the municipality. They would have to pay a house tax of only Rs 100 per annum. Such beneficiaries, however, must register with the municipality at a nominal charge of Re 1 in order to get civic facilities, he said. He said new door numbers would be given to each house, which would have a QR code. This would be useful for, among others, in prevention of crimes, he said.
Saying that ‘oxygen clubs’ were coming up in Hyderabad, Rao stressed the need to promote greenery. According to the bill, one of the responsibilities of the municipal chairperson, is to constitute a green cell and earmark 10% of funds in the budget and take up plantation as decided by the district-level committee, headed by the district collector. The chairperson needs to take up plantation in his/her ward and ensure survival of 85% of such plantations. The municipal ward member or designated special officer can be removed from their posts, if they fail to ensure survival of 85% of plantations.
There would be only municipalities and municipal corporations and no other urban local bodies. The number of municipalities and municipal corporations in the state would be 128 and 13, respectively.
