After Protest, Satna Civic Body Drops Plan To Raise Property Tax

Satna (Madhya Pradesh): The municipal corporation dropped the proposal for a hike in property tax during its budget session on Friday when the councillors of the ruling party and those of the opposition objected to it.

The civic body presented a budget worth Rs 450 for 2025-26, showing a deficit of Rs 7.50 crore. The budget session began with a dispute after a councillor Neena Madhav resented against seating arrangements.

Afterwards, when a discussion over the proposed hike in property tax began, both ruling party and opposition members jointly protested against it.   

The councillors said the hike in property tax was unfair on the grounds of GIS survey. Because the property tax has been already been raised in Satna, there should be hardly any reason to raise it further.

When the proposal to raise 32% of property tax was put up, the councillors said it would be a severe burden on those who were living in makeshift houses in wards. Outstanding taxes also figured in the discussion.

Councillor from ward number three Abhishek Tiwari said that Rs 35 crore had been spent to construct a lake from which the civic body is getting Rs 51 lakh every year.

Once there was a mine in the areas where the pond has been constructed, he said, adding that there neither any tourist centre nor any food zone. The government has not spent a single penny, but the mining department used to earn Rs 4 crore every year.

In the same way, there were earnings from Amoudha Lake, Venkyatesh Lok and other places, Tiwari said. A councillor from ward number one Meena Madhav sat on the floor of the house in protest against the poor power supply in the city. When she was assured that the problems raised by her would be solved, she got up.