Chennai: The principal opposition AIADMK will stage a State-wide protest demonstration on Tuesday against the ruling DMK’s decision to hike the property tax in the State.
An AIADMK release here today said while party coordinator and Deputy Leader of the Opposition O Panneerselvam will lead the agitation in Chennai, party joint coordinator and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami will lead the stir in Tiruchi.
The release said senior party leaders, former Ministers and MPs will lead the agitation in their respective districts.
A couple of days ago, the DMK government announced hike in property tax in line with the guidelines issued by the 15th Central Finance Commission ‘to ensure that the State gets its due share of Central funds for various schemes’.
The government had decided to increase the property tax in all Municipal Corporations, Municipalities and Town Panchayats under the Tamilnadu District Municipalities Act, 1920.
While the hikes will come into effect immediately in Municipality and Town Panchayat limits, in Corporations, including Chennai, it would take effect once the proposals are adopted by the respective councils.
According to a gazette notification issued by Municipal Administration Secretary Shiv Das Meena, for residential properties below 600 sq.ft in town panchayats and municipalities, taxes will be hiked 25 per cent; for properties between 600 sq.ft and 1,200 sq.ft, the tax hike will be 50 per cent; for properties between 1,201 sq.ft and 1,800 sq.ft the hike will be 75 per cent; and properties above 1,800sqft, property tax rates will be hiked 100 per cent.