Shimla Municipal Corporation has projected to increase cess on electricity and liquor while tabling the annual budget for the year 2020-2021 on Thursday.
According to the budget presentation the cess on electricity is proposed to be increased from 10 paise per unit to 20 paise per unit, while the cess on liquor bottle will be enhanced from Rs 2 to Rs 5. The civic body also proposed to charge Rs five from each delivery of online shopping.
While the increase cess will burden the common man, the corporation is looking forward to for an additional income of Rs 1.75 crore.
The increase in cess on liquor will generate an additional income of Rs two crore.
Mayor Satya Kaundal presented the fourth budget of the BJP-led Municipal Corporation of Rs 222.41 crore, wherein the estimated expenditure is Rs 24.46 lakh less as compared to the estimated income.
Furthermore, other steps proposed include imposition of stamp duty on registration of immovable properties, reassessment of the rent of its properties and shops on lease. The corporation had previously about one and half year ago increased their rentals and now this proposed reassessment will lead to an additional burden on the shopkeepers.
“The increase in the cess and other measures adopted was aimed at improving the fiscal health of the civic body which had been affected owing to the Corona pandemic,” she said, adding that many projects could not take last year during Corona times and the budget proposes to get things on the track.
The councilors had also proposed levying green tax on vehicles entering Shimla from other states.
