Arvind Kejriwal: If we win, will abolish house tax

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. (PTI File Photo)

Aam Aadmi Party supremo Arvind Kejriwal Saturday said the party plans to abolish house tax (residential) if voted into power in the upcoming municipal elections. Kejriwal also said that any pending tax will be waived off. He called the house tax structure “draconian” and said that it had become a source of widespread corruption for councillors and officers in the MCDs.

There are around nine lakh property tax payers in Delhi and revenue of Rs 600 crore is generated annually through house tax. When the AAP had campaigned for Assembly elections in 2013 and 2015, the biggest promise it made was of free water and cheaper electricity. The cost of power in Delhi has remained the same since the party came into power in 2015. Every household is given 20 kilo litres of free water a month.

Kejriwal said the party has worked out the arithmetic, and the money which will be saved by containing corruption will be utilised to cover shortfall in revenue if house tax is abolished.” The AAP chief also clarified that industrial and commercial house tax will be unchanged.

“As soon as the AAP comes to power in the MCDs, we will abolish the collection of house residential tax and waive all pending dues with immediate effect. We are making this promise with full responsibility, and after thorough study and planning. North Delhi Municipal Council had a budget of Rs 3,300 crore, of which Rs 250-300 crore is collected from house tax. Of the total Rs 3,300 crore, Rs 1,000 crore is wasted in corruption, which we will stop if voted to power,” Kejriwal said.