Development stalled in cities under YSRCP rule: CPM

Vijayawada: CPM state executive member Ch BabuRao criticized the YSRCP government for imposing tax burden on the citizens across the state and alleged that developmental works have come to standstill in Vijayawada city as well as in the state for the past four years under the YSRCP rule.

He said the government had overburdened the public by hiking property taxes, imposing user charges (garbage tax) and fixing water meters for the purpose of tax collection. Addressing a press conference along with CPM state committee member Donepudi Kasinath here on Saturday, Babu Rao said that the government had decided to do business with water by fixing water meters to every home in the state and added that the government would be going install water meters in 33 cities in the state. "Water meters have been installed for 900 houses in Madhuranagar in Vijayawada under the name of AMRUT scheme as per the orders of the Central government.

The government is prepared to fix another 25,000 meters in Vijayawada alone; for this contracts were also awarded. House taxes have been increased from Rs 100 crore to Rs 200 crore in two years in Vijayawada city. The burden of drinking water taxes has increased from Rs 29 crore to 49 crore. The Vijayawada Municipal Corporation is estimated to collect Rs 15 crore garbage tax per year," he said.

Babu Rao further demanded the government to take steps to remove the water meters installed in Vijayawada. He also asked the government to make an announcement in the upcoming budget session of Assembly that the meters would not be installed in the state. The state government has degraded the local bodies and diverting their funds to other purposes, he alleged. CPM floor leader in VMC Boyi Satya Babu and others participated.