Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss has condemned the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) for its recent decision to increase professional taxes and trade license fees, warning the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) that the public will respond strongly to these hikes.In a statement released on Wednesday, Anbumani criticized the GCC for raising the professional tax by 35% for individuals earning a monthly salary between Rs. 21,000 and Rs. 60,000. He argued that this increase would disproportionately impact the city’s poor and middle-class residents, exacerbating their financial burdens.
“Also, trade license charges have been increased by 100 percent. Poor and middle-class people will be affected by the hike,” Anbumani stated. He expressed concern that the GCC was favoring large corporations while imposing heavy financial burdens on small businesses.
Anbumani highlighted that the trade license fees for small establishments such as saloons, tea shops, and medical shops have been hiked to Rs. 10,000, with certain categories of shops now required to pay as much as Rs. 30,000. He pointed out that this comes on the heels of a significant 175% increase in property taxes imposed by the corporation.
The PMK leader also criticized the newly introduced self-certification system for obtaining planning permissions for small buildings. While the initiative was intended to streamline the approval process, Anbumani argued that the high application fees, which reportedly amount to Rs. 1 lakh for a 1,000-square-foot house, are unaffordable for many residents.
“The government should be working to ease the financial strain on the common people, not adding to it with such steep hikes,” Anbumani said, calling on the DMK-led administration to reconsider the increases. He warned that the people of Chennai would hold the ruling party accountable for these decisions.
The sharp increase in professional taxes, trade license fees, and property taxes has sparked widespread criticism, with many arguing that the hikes are unfair and ill-timed, particularly given the economic challenges faced by small businesses and the middle class. The GCC’s moves are seen as part of a broader effort to increase revenue, but critics like Anbumani Ramadoss argue that the burden is being placed disproportionately on those least able to afford it.