Proposed property tax revision under CURE an “outright tax extortion”, says Telangana BJP chief Ramchander Rao

BJP Telangana president N. Ramchander Rao alleged that the Congress government was planning to impose a heavier financial burden on residents of the Hyderabad capital region through the proposed municipal reforms.

Addressing a press conference at the party’s State office in the city, Mr. Rao claimed that the government intends to increase property taxes by at least five per cent and levy separate water and sewerage cess under the proposed Core Urban Region Economy (CURE) Act.

Strongly criticising the CURE Act and the Indiramma Housing Scheme, he said several provisions of the proposed legislation were aimed at “squeezing the public dry”. He termed the proposed property tax revision, based on registration values, an “outright tax extortion” lacking any scientific basis.

Mr. Rao said the BJP would strongly oppose the legislation in the Assembly, alleging that it undermines the spirit of the 74th Constitutional Amendment. He contended that the Bill lacks accountability and fails to clearly define the roles of corporators, ward members and other elected representatives.

Flays application fee for Indiramma Houses

Turning to the Indiramma Housing Scheme, Mr. Rao alleged that it had become a tool for financial exploitation. He questioned the decision to issue notifications for only 7,680 flats while collecting an application fee of ₹100 and an earnest money deposit (EMD) of ₹10,000 from each applicant despite the presence of lakhs of applicants.

“This is a conspiracy to collect nearly ₹1,000 crore from the poor,” he alleged, drawing parallels with what he described as the deposit collection exercise undertaken by the previous BRS government during its sheep distribution scheme.

Mr. Rao said that if the Congress government was genuinely committed to providing housing for the poor, it should ensure that all eligible beneficiaries receive homes. He further pointed out that hundreds of houses constructed during previous governments in townships such as ‘Sadbhavana, Abhiman’ (Jawaharnagar), Pocharam, Chandanagar, ‘Saheera’ (Gajularamaram), Bholakpur and Jawaharnagar remain vacant.

The failure to repair and allot these houses to poor and lower middle-class families reflected the “utter negligence” of successive Congress and BRS governments, he alleged.