'I don't care about protests': Finance Minister Thiaga Rajan on property tax hike in Tamil Nadu

Chennai: State Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan said that the hike in property tax was not more than a few hundred rupees a year for the smallest house.

Talking to media he said, "...I don't care about protest... according to the math we have done, the rate increase will be no more than a few hundred rupees a year for the smallest house, which means Rs 1-2 a day at most."

The Tamil Nadu government had last week announced an across-the-board revision in property tax to speed up revenue for local bodies, proposing up to 150 per cent increase. However, the government asserted the rates were lesser than many other Metro cities. The main opposition AIADMK lashed out at the move with Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palanisami terming it as burden on poor.

Justifying the government decision, Chief Minister MK Stalin said, "nearly 83 per cent of the households in urban Tamil Nadu will not be affected by the present revision." Explaining the reason for the hike, the Chief Minister claimed that the local bodies starved for funds as elections were not held. The cash-starved civic bodies did not have the resource to meet the basic requirement of the people.

Of the 11.03 lakh houses in the Chennai Corporation area, 25 per cent increase has been proposed for 1.52 lakh houses, while 3.46 lakh and 3.12 lakh houses will have an increase by 50 and 75 per cent, respectively.

The guideline value of land in both core and extended areas were increased manifold.

Of the 77.87 lakh houses in Tamil Nadu, only 1.09 lakh will see 150 percent increase in tax. Of the 44.53 lakh households, 58.48 percent will witness an increase of 25 percent while 24.70 percent will have a 50 percent hike, he noted.