Irregularities in garbage tax collection to be probed

Guntur: Municipal administration and urban development P Narayana stated that the government will order an inquiry into the irregularities in garbage tax collection.

Addressing Legislative Assembly on Thursday, he made it clear that the TDP government did not hike taxes in the municipalities. He recalled that the YSRCP government imposed a garbage tax which is an additional financial burden on people. He introduced the bill for abolishing garbage tax which was later passed by the House.

Narayana further said that the YSRCP government had imposed a garbage tax of Rs 356 though the property tax was only Rs 50 for the house.

He further said that in Anantapur, garbage was collected through the Reddy Enterprises for garbage collection and each vehicle was paid from Rs 51,641 to Rs 62,964. From November 2021 to July 2024, the total expenditure was Rs 325 crore, out of which the government had paid Rs 249 crore. He said the government had raised loans from the Swachh Bharat, the Housing Board, Rajiv Swagruha and the DTCP to pay the remaining amount to the contractor. He said that the government will conduct an inquiry into it.