North MCD against govt move to grant urban status to villages
20 Feb 2015 6:38 AM IST
The North MCD (Municipal Corporation of Delhi) has opposed the Delhi government’s move to grant urban status to 50 villages in North Delhi.
North MCD’s Rural Area Committee, which looks into village matters, said the decision was taken unanimously as the move, if executed, would destroy the historical value of the villages. It said the matter would be put before the Standing Committee and House, after which it would be forwarded to the government.
Declaring it as a tactic to raise revenues, members of the committee said the government wanted to increase the tax, after accrediting urban status to the villages. They alleged that the government was not bothered with problems plaguing the areas. “At present, the government collects tax from villages on (the basis of) rural status. Once their status is changed, the tax will be doubled. Rather than focusing on the development of villages, the government is applying tactics, which is not acceptable. Earlier too, we had opposed the move. We will do the same this time around,” said Rajpal Rana, head of North MCD’s Rural Area Committee.
He added: “In the name of development, the previous government had decided to change the status of rural belts. A total of 102 villages fall in the North MCD area, of which the status of 50 was changed. Although the government has assured to growth (in these areas), no concrete step has been taken in this regard. Once the rural status is changed, their historical value will degrade and people will have to pay higher taxes.”
North MCD’s Rural Area Committee, which looks into village matters, said the decision was taken unanimously as the move, if executed, would destroy the historical value of the villages. It said the matter would be put before the Standing Committee and House, after which it would be forwarded to the government.
Declaring it as a tactic to raise revenues, members of the committee said the government wanted to increase the tax, after accrediting urban status to the villages. They alleged that the government was not bothered with problems plaguing the areas. “At present, the government collects tax from villages on (the basis of) rural status. Once their status is changed, the tax will be doubled. Rather than focusing on the development of villages, the government is applying tactics, which is not acceptable. Earlier too, we had opposed the move. We will do the same this time around,” said Rajpal Rana, head of North MCD’s Rural Area Committee.
He added: “In the name of development, the previous government had decided to change the status of rural belts. A total of 102 villages fall in the North MCD area, of which the status of 50 was changed. Although the government has assured to growth (in these areas), no concrete step has been taken in this regard. Once the rural status is changed, their historical value will degrade and people will have to pay higher taxes.”
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